FOURTH EDITION
Eustoms and Institutions Ethel Tiers$ MartinTiersky
c0NTIrl|Ts Preface To the Teacher To the Student Acknowledgments
v1l vl11
U|llITI Anitrde$, Ualues, and Lilestyles I 2 3 4 5
The American Character Marciage American St;rle American Family Life American Etiquette What Arnericans Consume
t2 24 36 47
||ltllT2 The $alad Eowl: Biuel'sily inl[eU.$. Cultunal
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6 A Nation of Immigrants 7 The African-American 8 Reli$on in American Life
UlllT3 kuels oll.eu'nin[ I American Eclucation: The First 12 Years IO Higher Education in the U.S.
59 72 83 94 94 106 l1
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11 Vacationing in the U.S. 12 Leisure-Time Activities
119 131
||tl|lT5 0wel'nmenlanil l||elmeri0il Ciliruil
143
13 The Constitution and the Federal System 14 Choosing the Nation's President 15 Citizenship: Its Obligations and Privileges
143 154 166
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||ltjll $ T[ettlorlil olAmerican [usiness l6 Capitalism and the American Economy 17 The American Worker 18 High-Tech Communications
1 89 200
||ll[ 7 Amet.ican llolidays:llistony and Customs
27 2
19 ChristopherColumbus:A ControversialHero 2O Halloween: A Time for Scary Fun 21 Thanksgiving and Native Americans 22 The Winter Holiday Season 23 Two Presidents and Two Wars 24 Four Patriotic Holidays Appendix Appendix Appendix Appendix Appendix Appendix
CONTEMS
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A A Snapshot of More American Holiclays B Units of Measurement:U.S. and Metric C The United States,U.S. Territories, and Outlying Areas D The United States:Map with Time Zones E The Thirteen Original Colonies F U.S. Free and SlaveStatesand Territories. 1860
2r2 224 235 247 259 272 283 285 286 287 288 289
PRTFACI To the Teacher The U.S.A.:Ctstomsand Institutionswas first publishedin 7972.It hasbeen called"a classicin its field," a descriptionthat thrilled its authors.With eachnew edition, the book hasbeenupdatedand expanded.Wefirmly believethat it hasalsoimprovedwith age. Over the decades, the primary goalsofour text haveremainedthe same:to provide newcomersto the United Statesan ovewiew of American culture and traditions and to improve tle readingcomprehensionof nonnative speakersof English.The content strives to crealea gerlerulportrait of the United States,both its virtues and its shortcomings.'Ihe U-S.A-:Customsand Institutiotts answersmany questionstlat foreigners and immigrants ask about this nation and helps them understand Americans better. Teachersfamiliar with the third edition will find the fourth edition similar in terms of topics coveredbut d;fferent in many other ways. One new chapterhasb een addedChapter 18, "Higfr-Tech Communications."All ofthe other chaptershavebeen revised extensively,however,to update statistics,include new research,and explain new attitudesand customs.Althougftrthe book remains a higflr-intermediateto advancedreader, we have tried to deal with sophisticatedideas in the easiestlanguagepossibie.In this editio4 the vocabularyhas been simplified and the sentenc€sshortened to make the content accessibleto a greater nurriber of students. The reaclir4lsremain long enough and difficult enoughto challengeadvancedstudents.However, witl sufficient in-class assistance,studentsin the intermediaterangewill alsobe able to understandand enjoy them. Here are somesalient new featuresthat make the fourth eclition an even more effective teachir4itool: o Prereading discussion quesdons strengthentle backgiroundbrought by students to eachreading and introduce someof the vocabulary used in ihe chapter. o Prereading "Guess" questions arousecuriosity and give studentssomespecific fuformation to look for as they read. . Completely new lllusfiafons-inclutling many photogiraphsand carloonsstimulate discussionand rnakeAnerican culture comealive t}rough visual images and humor. . "check Your comprehenslon" quesdons now follow each sectionof the readingis. Thesequestionsencouragestudentsto reflect upon what they've learned, and teacherscan use them as a starting point for generaldiscussion,paired c,onversation, or writing assignments.
. Exerciseshavebeengreatlyrevisedand are now longerand morevariedin for_ mat. They are alsomoreinteractive,often involvingpairedor small-groupwork and sometimesevengames.In additionto beingmore fun, the exercises arenow broaderin scope.As beforg they emphasizecomprehension, vocabularyidioms, and readingskilis.But now thereis morework with punctuation,phonics,word parts,word endings,writing style,and dictionaryskills. ' Vocabularylists in the "Building YourVocabulary"exercisescontainbrief notes that clarifu confusingword forms,suchas irregularpluralsand wordsusedonly in the plural. . The reading-writingconnectionhasbeenstrengthened in threeways: 1. Everychapterincludesone or two exercises that practicean importantsen_ tencepattern found in the reading. 2. ln the "lssues"secfion(PartA of .,SharingIdeas,'),studentsare askedto dis_ cussmqior controversiesrelatedto the chapter,stopic. After exchangingideas with classmates,they write about one of the issues. 3. In "On a PersonalNote" (PartB of,.SharingIdeas,'),shrdentsareencouraged to write about their reactionsby making cultural comparisons,expressingper_ sonal opiniong and discussingltheir unique experiences.The length of these writingi assignmentsis left for the teacherto decide.For advancedstudents, somewriting topics involve library research. Thz U.S.A.:Customsan"dInstirutions,fourth edition, Lke its predecessors, is designed to $ve teachersmaximum freedomof choice Chapterscan be studied in any order, de_ pending upon studert interest and timeliness. Accompanying this edition of the book is a new Teacher'sManu.al which includes general teaching tips and a chapter-by-chapterguide that contains background information about the readingand the illustrations, sugjgiestions for additional clas*oorn activities, and answersto the book's exercises.In addition, it contains a reaclingcomprehension quiz for eachchapter.
To the Student This fourth edition of Tlu U.S.A.:Customsand.Institutinnshas two main goals.The first is to introduce you to the lifestyles, attitudes, customs,and traditions of Americans. The secondis to incYease your knowledgeof the most widespreadAmerican customof all-the customof communicatingin En$ish. To accomplishthe first goal,the readings have been updated to $ve you a twenty-first century snapshot of life in the United States.To accomplishthe secondgoal,this new edition contains greatly expandedexercises.They will help you to readwith greaterundersanding, discussyour reactions to *le ideaspresented,learn a specificset of vocabulary words and idioms, and note someimportant conventions of wdtten English.
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Thc II.S.A.:Customsand Institutionsdiscussesboth strengthsand weaknessesof American culture.Howeveqits primary intent is to describeand analyzerather than evaluate.It is left to you, the reader,to comparcAmerican wayswith thoseof other cultures and to form opinions about American lifestyles. If your past instruction in English has been in British English,don't worry. The $Mitch to American En$ish will not present major problems.In terms of sentence structure, thesetwo versionsof English are almost the same.British En$ish has more irregular verbs tlran American En$ish (learnt versusleanwd.,for example).There are someminor spelling differences(such as eolour versus color) and some differencesin vocabnlary.(The British lfr is the American elnala4 a British vestis an Ameican undershirt.)Still, you wiil find that British and American Englishare very much the same language. As you probably know, English is rapidly becoming the global languageof our shrinking world. It is spokenby about 1.5billion peopleand is the languageof international communication in business,diplomacy,technology,sports, trav-el,and entertainment. Whereveryou go and whatever you do, your knowledgeof English wili come in handy. anl Institutions, fourth edition, will help you imWe hope that Thz U.S.A.:Custoftzs proveyour understandingof American Engilishand American people.Whether you're living in the United States,visiting the country, workingl or studying with Americans who live in your countgz,or perhapsmssring Americans for the first time in the pa$es of this book, we want to extendyou a warm welcome to the U.S.A.! Ethel Tiersky AssociateProfessor CommunicationsDept. (English & ESL) Harry S. Truman College Chicago,Illinois
Martin Tiersky Attorney-at-Larz Chicago,Illinois
Acknowledgments With iharks to: . our editors, Iaura Ir Dr6an and Michael Ryall, for their expertise,encouragement, and dedication to this project o Marianne Carello ar:tl Mykan White for their photo research; o Andrea Bryant, our developmenteditor, and Sylvia Darg our production editor; o the hundreds of ESL studentsat Harry S. Truman Collegein Chicagowho classroom-testedour book and whose questionstold us what immigrants want to know.
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Photo Credits Photographsand Art: p.l o A. Rame,y/Slonei p. lZ photographby David Simm, t!]v,tldt,r 1111.;ri];liiri:,,. tography.com;p. 16 o 2000 Reprirted courtesyof Bunny Hoest and paradeMa{ldii,i |. : I I I t,r;r;,.1 Bosl€r/ston€;p. 26 o Reprirltedwith specialpermissionKing F€aturessyndicat€;p. i 6 r 20co lr' N.ri Yorkercollection from cartoonbank.com.Alt Rights Reserved;p. 47 o )eff cretrlr.ri,{)nrri,-,r,ii,-,ilj communications,Inc'; p. 59 o rg89 by Kry Berkson;p. 61 oJosephsohn, chroflosohrr r,c /ci )RIJIS: p. 72 Jenrifet Ge$ard.Coufiesyof Victory GardenTheater.Cheryl Lynr: Frrrcr as lJilri)iir! Il)!,i,r1riri "Voiceof GoodHope;"p.83 Photocourtesyofrh€ NormanRockwellMuseurnrrbrc(krrJili!.,. -ir.r, the Norman RockwellFamily Trusq p. 94 o The sth Wave,www.tle5thwav€.coru;p 97 o 2000 T/ir Ncw Yorkcrcollection from cartoonbank.com.All Rights Reserved;p. 106 N( )f.l sl-.ei il'r i-iii i r ,l!. wiley Miller. Dist. by UNTVERSALPRESSSYNDICATE. ReprintedrviLhperuissiorr -,r")lri1|r:, :.,: served;p. 119 (top lefo @Neil Rabinowiu/CoRBtS;.p. 119 (bottom left) ojohn Lamb,/Stone:p. , iti (right) oJanButchofsky-Houser/CORB]S; p. 125 photo by Martin Tiersky; p. 131o 2000 the Nr.,,' ,::: Rockwell Family Trust; p. 143 ojoseph Sohm, ChromoSohmIn.,/CORBIS;p. 1S4Ap/Wide W.:,.1 Photos;p. 156AP,/WideWorld Photos;p. 166Associatedpress,Ap; p. 177 Reprinted*.jrh sir:. :, I : r . missionKing Featur€ssyndicate;p. 180AP,/wide world photos;p. 189AIr/ wrdc \iior lJ f,ii,-rr.rs: i.. ,; ,a; Re p ri fl te d w i th s p € c i a l p e rmi s si onl (i ngFeaturesS yndi cate;p.203@ 2000Frpri rrredL,,L ,1,,... r , , . , Hoest and ParadeMagazine;p.212 @ Bertman/coRBlS;p. 224': i(,.\'ii., sclr.. cf,i.i,r(,:.,,.rl I'C,,/CORBIS;p. 235Ted Curtin for Plimoth plantation,plymouth, MA: p. 240 },lolo b.y.Rc,irlt)c\!;r,iir p.247 @ToooStillo,/Omni-PhotoCommunications,I.,"i p- ZS2 AplWide lt7or]dphci{)s._,il:,: ir l:,a-l Archive Photos;p. 264 o Scott T. Smith,/CORBISi p.272. Ke\'tt, \\/crJ (.,rf:i;\. . ,!r.j. Poulides/Stone,o Hulton cetrylstone; p. 276 @Bettman/CORBIS.
CREDIT5
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Alliludes,
and Ualues,
The American Charucter
faces of the U.S.A.:diversity as a way of life
BeroRrYou ReRo Discuss 1. Compare Americans to people in other countries. What differences have you noticed in behavior, attitudes, and values? 2. Look at the headings and subheadings in this chapter. Can you predict what each section might have to say about the U.S. and its residents? 3. Take a survey of the languagesspoken by students in your class. Where in the world are these languagesspoken?
Guess Tryto answerthe questions. rhen lookfor the answers in the reading. l. What is the approximare populatio' of the U.S.?Check(/) one: 725 million _ 2TSmillion _ _ ?smillion 2. Whichis the largesrethnicnri'orify in the U.S.?Check(/) one: _
Hispanics ---
Asians
_ African-Americans
The Arnerican Character A Land of Diversity t
WhatareAmericanslike?WhatdoAmericanslike?Theseareverydifferentquestions. In answeringthem, this chapterwill provide a sketchof the Americancharacter.,,But wait,"some readerssay."ln this huge nation of peoplefrom everywhere, is there reallv a nationalcharacter?"Let'stacklethis third questionfirst. 2 Thereis great diversityin the ethnic makeupof America.Nevertheless, manywriters havegeneralized about typical Americanvalues,attitudes,and beliefs.lor example, Mortimer B. Zuckerman,editor-in-chiefof U.S.Neur €-WorldReport, seeshis countryas "a unique culture of self-reliance,independence,resourcefulness, pragmatism,and novelty-"He goes on to describehis fellow Americansin greaterdetail, "We are comfortablewith changeand with peoplewho makethings happen.In America,the new is betterthan the old; takingchargeis valuedover playingit safe;makingmoneyis superior to inheriting it; education and merit are favoredover family ties.,, 3 The most important characteristicof the U.S.A.can be stated in one word: diversity. Most Americans take pride in the great variety found in the country,sgeographyand population.Covering3,700,000 squaremiles (9,590,000 squarekilometers),the U.S.is the fourth-largestnationin the world {afterRussia,China,and Canada).Within this vast nation are tall mountainsand flat cornfields,desertsand tropical regions,prairiesand forests,ruggedcoastlinesand gentle,rolling hills. Theclimate,too, coversall extremes. In southern Florida,visitors come to swirn and sunbathe in December.In northern Alaska,winter temperaturesmay drop to -75' Fahrenheit(-54" Celsius). 4 with roughly 275 million people,the U.S.is the third-largestnation in population afterChinaand India.About 9tr/oof the people now living in the U.S.wereborn there. Still' the U-S.has one of the world'smost variedpopulationsin termsof nationalancestry.This diversityis often highlightedand celebratedat school and communityfes, tivals.Racially, the U.S.is about82%white,l3% black,4ToAsian and pacifictslandetand l7oNativeAmerican(includingEskimoandAleut).Hispanicsare roughly12"/o of the entire Americanpopulation,makingSpanish-speaking peoplethe nation'ssecondlargest ethnic minority. Some newcomersto the U.S.may be surprisedby the varietiesof inn colorthey see,but Americanstakeit for granted.Racismand prejudicearestill serious UNITI . Attitudes,Values,and Lifestvles
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problemsin the U.S.;however, mostAmericans believein the idealsof equalityand mutual respect. s Threesignificantpopulationtrendsmay changethe Americancharacterto someextent.First,the U.S.CensusBureauestimatesthat, by the year2050,the country'spopumillion. Will more crowdedconditionsleadto closerfriendshipsor , / ^ lation will be 394 4n;..j.gtt'nl--firmore disputesbetweenngighborsJSecond,in recentyears,the averageage of Ameriu (from28 in 1970to about 35today).Thistrend,oftenreferred canshas beenincreasing "graying" demographers say, of America,is expectedto continue. By 7-023, to as the "Amerabout l8% of Americanswill be 65 or older.By 2038,that figurewill reach34"/". ica is a countryof youngmen,"wrote RalphWaldoEmersonin the nineteenthcentury. theirelders. Americanshaveoftenbeenaccusedof worshipingyouthand undervaluing are at 72,000 Americans middle age. Some Now,the typicalAmericanis approaching least 100yearsold! By 2050,there may be 800,000centenariansWhatwill happento the youth culturethen?Third,the nation'sethnicand racialminoritygroupsare growpredictthat by 2050,this ing much fasterthan the generalpopulation.Demographers maiority of the population.No country'sminoritygroupscombinedwill makeup the doubt,this changewill affectattitudes,values,and customs. 6 Regionalvariationsalso add diversityto the Americancharacter.Travelaround the country and you'll notice differencesin language,diet, recreation,and even regional character.SomeAmericanscantell what part of the countryotherAmericanscomefrom iust by listeningto their accents.Cookingstylesalso varyfrom placeto place,influenced by the differentimmigrantgroupsthat havesettledin that areaand by the edibleplants, fish, seafood,and wildlife nativeto each region.Recreationalso variesfrom place to place,influencedby climate,geography,and ethnictraditions.In addition,attitudesand r . , behaviqr may differ somewhat from one region of the country to another. For example, tg"f ) >th * fi'h"Lf '? ' ()' New Englandersare commonly describedas seriousand self-reliant,Southemersas graciousand leisurely,and Westernersas casualand friendly.Californiansaresaid to be eagerto try new fads. Midwestemersare consideredmore conservativethan Californians and less sophisticatedthan New Yorkers.Of course,rnanyresidentsof a particular region do not fit these generalizations. THEWEST
THE MIDWEST THE NORTHEAST
Regionsof the United States 1 . TheAmericanCharacter CHAPTER
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However,moderncommunicationand massproductiontend to decreaseregional and ethnicdifferences. From the EastCoastto the West Coast,travelersfind similar shoppingcenters,supermarkets, departmentand discountstores,restaurants, hotels, motels,and apaftmentbuildings.Nationaladvertising createsnationaltastesin clothing stylesand otherconsumergoods.NationalnewsmediainfluenceAmericans'reactions to world events.Television, movies,and schoolshelp to createa body of Americanvaluesand traditionsDespitethe nation'sgreatdiversity,somegeneralizations can be madeabout whatthe typicalAmericanbelievesin, admires,values,and wants.
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cnecr YounWhq is the tJ.S. called"a land of diversitq"? Compnehenslon What three populationtrendsare predicted? f,lernocracy
in Actio*
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Americandemocracy is basedon the principleof majority rule. ln a democraticlegislativebody,decisionsare made by voting. In the U.S.,voting is not just a tool for selectingpolitical leadersand passinglaws.It is also a way of makingdecisionsin the businessworld,in socialgroups,in schools,and evenwithin the family.AmericansbeIievethat people shouldtake part in makingthe rulesthey must live by.Americanchildren are introducedto the ideasof maiority rule and representativegovernmentat a veryearlyage.Many familieshold weeklymeetingsto determinehouseholdrulesand activities.Most schoolshavestudentcouncilswith electedrepresentatives so that students can voice their opinions about school regulationsand activities.In the adult world,all kinds of organizations(unions,religiousgroups,etc.)electofficersand make decisionsby voting.ln publiclyownedcompanies,stockholderselectthe directors. 'All men are createdequal," saysthe Declarationof lndependence.This statement 9 does not mean that all human beingsare equal in ability or ambition. lt meansthat all peopleshould be treatedequallybeforethe law and given equal privilegesand opportunities.Equal opportunitymeans(amongother things)an equal chancefor a good education and a good iob. '10 The American commitment to equality of opportunity inspireswhat is commonly called the American dream-the belief that anyone can achieve successthrough honesty and hard work For many immigrant Americans,this dream becamereality. Financial successhas often beenthe resultof takinga risk,of quitting a salariedpositionand stafting one's own new business.Social mobility-movement from one social classto another-has alwaysbeen characteristicof the U.S.It is usuallyachievedby improving one'seducationallevel,occupation,and/orincome. i1 A democratic, representativegovernment gives citizens an opportunity (and a responsibility)to encouragepositivesocialchange.Ordinarycitizenscan improveconditions, especiallyif they unite in a common cause."Grassroots"movementscan bring about changesin lawsand policies.In the past half-centurymany such groups have forcedchange in local, state, and federal laws. Somegroups have even influenced foreign policy-for example,those that opposedAmericanparticipationin the Vietnam Warof the 1960s.Othergroupshavepersuadedlawmakersto passstricterlawsto pro,
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UNIT 1 . Attitudes, Values,and Lifestyles
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tectAmericansfrom drunkdrivers,pollution,and the illegaluseof handguns.Still other groups fight for the rights of minorities-African-Americans,Hispanics,gaysand lesbians,peoplewith disabilities,seniorcitizens,and so on. Americansknow that. in the battle for human rights,there is strengthin numbers.
Z **to*
fouH$9ttlol
iileals? WhatAmericanattitudesarerelatedto democratic Whatdoesmaiority rule mean?
"1?y It-You'Il
Like It"
The greatAmericannovelistand humorist Mark TWaindescribedthe typical Englishman or -womanas a "personwho doesthings becausethey havebeendone before"and the typicalAmericanas "a personwho does things becausethey haven'tbeen done before."Americanslove to try somethingnew out of curiosityand a belief that newermay be better. As a nation of immigrants,the U.S.has had a continual influx of people with a 13 pioneeringspirit, with the courageto make maior changesin their lives. ln the midnineteentn century this spirit l^d American settlers to make the long, difficult, and dangerousiourney westward in searchof gold or free land. The desire to make a fresh start in a new place is still noticeablethroughout the nation. About 42 million Americans changeresidenceseveryyear.Some moves are due to changing iobs or going off to college.Other people move from big cities to suburbs (or vice versa).Some move to find adventure or a more pleasant climate. The pioneering spirit of Americansis evident in the working world, too. Employeeschange iobs and even careersas opportunities change. 14 Americanslbve scienceand technology becausethese fields involve new discoveries. The U.S. has embraced the age of communication with great enthusiasm. From preschoolersto senior citizens,Americansare learning to use computers--at school, at work, and at home. Robots, lasers,and other inventions of modem technology fascinate them. Americans subsidizeall kinds of spaceexploration, from outside the Earth to inside the atom. in order to uncoverthe secretsof the universe. Love of change is closely tied to faith in improvement. Americans have alwaysbeen t5 optimistic, believing in the perfectibility of people, the basic goodnessof their country, and the ability of American ingenuity to improve the quality of life. But people have come to realizethat, if life can become better, it can also become worse.The dangersof air and water pollution, nuclear power,and overpopulation have become clear. 12
oltheAmeriunpioneefing ,Wftataresme etumples tfpical t6
American Behavior and Values
WatchingAmericansin action, foreignerssometimessee behaviorthat seemsrude, but certainlynot misguided,or just plain silly.The followingtraits are characteristically, American. exclusively, CHAPTER1 . The AmericanCharacter
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Hurry,Hurry,Hurry.Almost everyAmericarrwearsa watch,and, in nearlyevery room in an Americanhome,theie'sa clock."Beon time.""Don'twastetime.",.Time is money.,, "Timewaits for no one."All thesefamiliar sayingsreflectthe Americanobsessionwiih promptnessand efficiency.Studentsdispleasetheir teachersand employees displease their bosseswhen they arrivelate.This desireto get the most out of every minute often makesAmericansimpatient when they have to wait, The pressureto make everymoment count sometimesmakesit difficult for Americansto relax. l8 Thedesireto savetime and do work more quicklyand easilyleadsAmericans to buy manykindsof machines.Theserangefrom officeequipmentsuchas calculators, photocopy machines,and computersto dozensof home and personalappliances, such as microwaveovens. 19 TheImportance of Money. Aftervisitingthe U.S.in the 1830s,the FrenchhistorianAlexis de Tocquevillewrote, "l know of no country . . . where the love cf money has taken strongerhold . . ." Americansare often accusedof being materialistic, of valuing wealth and possessionsabove all else.Money is valued both as a symbol of successand also for a more obvious reason-its purchasingpower.Many items that didn't even exist 50 yearsago are now considerednecessitiesin the Americanhome. In addition,purchases are made in order to "keep up with the loneses,,'toshcw friendsthat one can afford a biggerhouse or a fanciercar.Also, advertisingencouragespeopleto ke.p buying things far beyondwhat they need. In the mid-nineteenthcentury,the Americanuritoi Henry David Thoreau advised his countrymen,"simplify your needs!" Howevet Americans have moved in the opposite direction. Now, iust as Thoreau predicted, many find that their possessionsown them. They must work hard to earn enough money tt buy and maintain the many possessionsthey consider necessities. 20 Yes,Americans love to make a lot of money and spend it on themselves-to buy things that save time, give them pleasure,or serveas status symbols. However,Americansare also very generousand verywilling to donate money to good causes.TheAmerican characterincludes a strong senseof obligation to help those in need. 21 SayWhatYou Mun, andMeanWhatYou Say.Americansbelievethat "honestyis the best policy."They are direct and assertive. Theyask for what they want. In many cultures,respect for those in positions of authority keepspeople from expressingtheir true feelings or intentions- In the U.S.A.,however,children often argrrewith their parentsand.citizens express opposition to actions of the government. If the soup is cold or the meat is tough, the diner can complain to the waiter.If a teacher is wrong or confusing,a student may sayso. If the boss makesa mistake,an employee may politely point it out. Assertive behaviorsometimes seems improper and rude to foreigners,but it work well for Americans. In fact, assertivenessis almost a necessityin the business world. 22 TheNud toWin.The extremely competitive nature of Americans is often criticized.Of course,compedfion isn't alwaysbad. ln fact, it promotes excellencebyencouraging individuals (and businesses)to try to do their best. But the desire to get ahead of others sometimescausespeople to do things that are unkind and even dishonest23 The PracticalOutlaok.Americans admire what is practical, fast, efficlent, and new. Sometimesthey fail to appreciateculturesthat prefermore traditional,leisuretywaysof doing things. Conversely,people from other cultures may dislike the practicat,nectic Americanlifestyle.
UNff 1 . Attitudes. Values,and l_ifestvles
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Despitethesetraits,which.,many foreignersmay view as faults,Americansare usually consideredvery likable.Most are friendly,kind-hearted,and eagerto help visitorsand immigrants.In this nationof immigrants,the foreignerdoes not remainan outsiderfor long.
ArrenYou Reno l. Getting the Message Workwitha partner.Puta check(/) in thecorrectcolumnfor each phraselistedbelow. Americans like or approve of this.
Americans don't like or approve of this.
l. forming groups to bring about change 2. wasting time 3. allowing cittznnsto influence lawmakers 4. allowing social mobility 5. protesting;social evils non-violently
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6. doing things the waythey've always been done in the past
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7. making decisionsby voting
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8. buying as fewpossessionsas possible 9. being assertive 1O.competing to be the winner or the best
ll. BuildingYour Vocabulary A. Ihese are the 15 keyvocabularywordsfor this chapter.Theyare boldfacedin the reading.Prontounce thesewords afteryour teacher,and discusstheir meanings. assertive charactef competition conservativet democracy
demogfrapher diversity efEcient ethnic generalize
majority materialistic minority possession variet5l
*Charactcr is uncountable as it's used in this chapter tConservative can be a noun or an adjective.
CHAPTER1 . The AmericanCharacter
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B- Witha partner,answerthesequestions with onewordor a few words. 1. r.I/ould a materialistic person have many possessionsor few?
2. Do elections usually irtglye"o*petition? 3. Does a conservative person like or dislike.a lot of change? 4. Ifpeople work quicklybut do poor work, are they efficient?
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5. What does a demographer study? 6. What is the main characteristic of a democracv? 7. What are two expensive possessions that most Americans want to own? 8. Do Americans think that it's good to be asserfive? What do you think?
lll. SharpeningReadingSkills Topic Sentences A paragraphis a group of sentencesthat developsone idea.Most para€Faphscontain a statementof the main idea. That statementis called the topit sentence.Itis usually, but not always,the first sentencein the paragraph.It is the most important sentencein the paxagraph.The other sentencesdwelop the topic sentencq perhapsby gving reasons,causes,examples,facts, or descriptivedetails. Rereadtheparagraphslistedandlook for the topic sentence.Thenwritethe first two words of the topic sentenceon the lineafter theparagraphnumber. Example (3)
J\q moer
(s)
(s)
Gr)
lV. Understandingldiomsand Expressions Usefte following72 expressions to complete thesentences onpage9. Capitalize thefirst wordatthe beginning givethe paragraphs of a sentence. Thenumbers in parentheses in you whichtheexpressions areused.Reread theparagraph if haveforgoftenwhatthe expressronmeans. "$rassroots" movement (1L) (19) keep up with theJogesgs_ majority rute (8) make every riciment count (17) lqass p-roduction (7)
(z) gbyjgg-_i-1*s-tfe UNIT 1 . Attitudes, Values,and Lifestyles
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point out (21) dbnior crrtien (n,14) gtatus sysbet(20) take it for granted (4) S4kingq.barge(2) vice versa (13)
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1. My friendJoe rides his ntotorcycle 90 miles an hour. He doesn't believe in !,
2. The twins expect their parents to give them a gift on their birthday. They
{,+. 3. MariaJohnson is very popular amongthe peoplein this state.In fact, there is il a(n)
to elect her as the next governor.
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4. They are averyhappy couple.Sheloveshim and
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5. Don't waste time.
PJ
6. Teachers
mistakesso that students will
learn the correct way to speak and write English. 7. An expensive car is a(n)
It makes the
owner seem important.
S. My grandfatheris 68 yearsold. Becausehe's a(n) , he getsa discount atmany movie theaters. meansthat decisionsare madeby voting.
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10. You don't have to buy a new car just becauseyour friends did- You don't have to
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helps to keep prices down.
12. Johnleft the company,so Helen is
t
of the offi.cenow.
V. TakingWords Apart Nouns serveas subjectsof sentencesand objectsof verbs and Noun or Adjective prepositions.Adjectives are commonly usedbefore nouns or after linking verbs (zuch asbe,seem,ffidfeeD. Underlinethe correct wordform for eachsentence. society. / corupetitiue) @@tUn " 2. Voting is an (imytffi,tue / important) partof a democratic (society/ sgial). 3. To have a successfirl democraq, it is (ngp{W / nncessary)to have (edywfwn / edrcattd) citizens. 4. To havqasuccessfrrldemocracy,well+ducated citizens arc a (necessitg / //\ 1. The U.S. is
negwru.
5. Americans believe in (e4.Wrltft/ equal) opportunity for all. 6. Most Americans understand the (importarce / important) of parttcipating in then @emocrarg/ ilzmncrati.c)government.
(continuzd.on_thenextpage)
CH,APTER 1 . TheAmericanCharacter
---E
7. Amenc.ansare practical. In other yXds, they are (pragryti,,;,: , ,,r..i:i,r,ji 8. Traveling from one (region/ regiilal) of the country to anl{i;l: . ,1ui{rncan tourists see a great (vangtg / vaj&d) of people and pprces. 9. There is a lot of (ethydity / ethnic) (diversity/ dt{sd i,;: :ir i '. r 10. Do Ameydns uar( ^olr"y"r,d (ma t erjdl ism / m"at erial k t ir)?
por."r.ions more than anytliing eisc',).l,-it:i irry
//l
What at{:ou, common endingson the nouns in this exercise?- - yW ( What are four common endings on the adjectives in this exert_-is*?
Vl. PracticingSentencePatterns Dashes and Definitions Rereadthe frst and lastsentencesin paragraph10. Notethatdasl'resir€ u:.:;,s,1 irefc.r-r definitions of the phrases American dreamandsocialmobility.Cn ltr: J;ilr:if,.,ii:r.,,', i:.,..". 1,,::.::'i:: senfencesthatincludedefinitions of a phrase. 1. Writea sentencewith the definition at the end.llse onedash. Erample I like cocoa-a hot drink with chocolatein it.
2. Writea sentencewith the definitionin themiddle.Usetwo Ca.:,hes. Example I drink cncr:,a-a hot drink with chocolate in it-every
morning for hreaktasr.
Vll. Sharingldeas
;i l':i
A. lssues Debatetheserssuesin smallgroups.Thenchooseoneand vrr+teabcif il. 1. Is there really equality of opportunity in the U.S.?trf no! what eau I:e done ru, se,atsi1P 2. Whafs good and what's bad about rnajoritg rule? 3. Americans are usually describedas sociablg conventic,naipe*ple wia* i*i:: llroups anidW to behavelike everyoneelseiri the fraup. f {owevr:::,lr-;;.:lr: Americanbooks irnd movieshavemadea hero of th': pe{*:q*n x.hr: fipJ:;riLrr: u,,;f'l:ri'i majority will and tries to accomplishsomettringgoori indep*nctrent1;1. betler-to be ajoiner or aLorur?
UNIT 1 . Aftitudes, Values,and Lifestyles
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B. On a Personal Note Writeaboutoneof thesetopics. 1. Do you think wealth and possessions makea person important? If no! what does? 2. In the 1980s,a Russianimmigrant and popular entertainer aamed Yakov Smirnovbeeame famous for his three-word reaction to the U.S. Whenever something surprised him, he said, "what a countrJr!" what surprisesyou about the U.S.?Why? 3. Americans are often accusedof admiring youthfirl beauty and ene4y over the experienceand wisdom of olderpeople. Who shouldbe most mp""t"d-yo,rrrg adults,middle-agedpeople,or senior clr..riz,ensf Why? 4. Would you like to live to be 100 years old? Why or why not?
CHAPTERt . The american Character
lil
Marriagez American
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An Americanbride and groom cutting their wedding cake
You Rrno BeroRe Discuss 1. Have you ever seena wedding in the U.S.?What did you notice?What were the bride and groom wearingf; Was anything confusing to you? What? 2. Think about the American couplesyou know. Whathave you noticed about American husband-wife relationships?What generaltzattonscan you make about American marriages? 3. What doesthe first sentenceof this reading lrnearP-
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Tryto answerthe questions. rhen lookfor the answers in thereading.
a.
1- what percnntageof adult Americans (t8 and order) are married?_o/o
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2. What does the American bride throw to her wedding guests?
i
Marriage: American, Stgle -
Before the Wedding 't
"Marriagehalvesour griefs,doubles our joys, and quadruples our expenses,,'says a well-knownproverb.lt also decreasesboth freedomand loneliness.Today'sAmericans seemwilling to take the bad with the good becausethe institution of marriagecontinues to be popular in the U.S.A.by midciicage,about 92%of Americanshavebeen married at least once. 2 Howevel the countrys singleadult population is almost as largeas the marriedpopulation. Only 56"/"of American adults are married and living with their spouse.The number of unmanied adults, now around 77 million, has been growing much faster than the married population. One reason is that today's Americans are marrying at an older age. In 1970,the median age of a first-time bride was 20.6,and the median age of a groom was22.5. Today,the median ages are about 25 for the bride and 2Z for the groom. Among younger adults (ages25 to 34l,about ?5o/ohaveneverbeen married. Why are people staying single longer? Many young adults want to get their careers well established before marriage.Also, many couples live together without {or before) marrying. s Although Americans try to be practical in most matters, when they choose a spouse, the decision is usually based upon feelings of love rather than on practical considerations. In the U.S.,parents do not arrangemarriagesfor their children. Teenagersusually begin dating in high school and eventually find partner through their own social contacts. They want to "fall in love" before they think about maniage. Most parents encourage their children to marry someone of the same race and religion. Still, when young adults move away from their parents' home to attend college or to work in another city, they often date and then marry a person from a different ethnic background. Maniages between Americans of different religions or different national origins are common. However,maniages between black and whites continue to be rare, involving lessthan 0.3",6of the nation s 58 million manied couples. a When a man and woman become engaged(agreeto marry each other), they enter a very exciting and busy period of their lives. At this time. it is traditional for the man to give his fianc6e a gift she will (hopefully) wear and treasure for the rest of her life-a diamond engagement ring. During the engagement period, the bride-to-be and her fianc6 meet each other's relatives,if they havenot done so already.Theyalso plan their CHAPTER 2 r Marriage:AmericanSVle
---E
wedding and rentor buy an apartmentor house.tln the U.S.,veryfewnewlyweds begin marriedlife livingrvitheithefset of parents.) 5 Engagementand weddinggifts help the coupleto set up their new home.lt is common for engagedcouplesto go to a departmentstore bridal registryand fill out a list of the items they would like to receive,such as particularpattems of dishes,silverware, and glassware,plus cooking utensils,appliances,and linens. Weddingguestscan choosegifts from this list beforethe weddingand havethem mailed to the bride,to-be's home. In addition to weddinggifts, the couple also receivesshowergifts. A shower is a party iust for women at which eachguestgivesthe bride-to-besomethingusefulfor her new home. Also, shortly beforethe wedding,the groom and his closefriendsand relatives celebrateat an all-maleparty called a bachelor or stagpafi. On this occasion,the groom often receivesgifts, too.
I
What are threeAmericanengagement custnms?
IIre Big Day 6
Most wedding customsobservedin the U.S.today began in other countriesand past centuries. Some are based on old superstitions about ways to bring the couple good Iuck and many children. Others symbolize the marital promise of lifelong devotion. 7 The traditional American bride wearsa long white gown ard a veil. {ln earlier times, people thought the veilwould protect the bride from evil spirits. The white gown and veil also symbolize innocence.)Tladitionat brides also obey the well-known verseand wear "something old, something new something borrowed, and something blue-" The groom usuallywearsa tuxedo (a formal suit with a bowtie), which is commonlyrented just for his wedding day.Tradition saysthat the groom should not seethe bride'sgown before the wedding. AIso, on their wedding day, the bride and groom are not supposed to see each other until the cenemony. The wedding c€remonymay be held in a church, synagogue,home, hotel, or nice outdoor area. Guestsare seatedon either side of the center aisle, and the ceremonystarts with a procession down the aisle. Ttaditional pieces of music played during the procession are the wedding march from Wagners opera Lohenginand orchestral music from Mendelssohn'sA MidsurrmerNighfsDream,but today many couples select other music. The bridal party (the people participating in the ceremony) includes the bride and groom and theirclosest relativesand friends. Thereare usually bridesmaidsand a maid of honor (all wearing matching dresses)and the grooms ushers and "best man" (usually his brother or best friend). Walking in front of the bride is a young "flower girl," who throws flower petals from a straw basket.The bride walks down the aisle with her father or both parents, who 'give her away''to the groom. The bride and groom then face the cleric or iudge conducting the service,and a traditional service is recited. The content of the servicedepends,to some extent, on the couple's religion. During a typical ceremony,the bride and groom exchangeldendcal wedding rings. The ring, a circle with no beginningand no end, symbolizesunendinglove and loyalty.
UNIT 1 e Attitudes, Values,and Lifestyles
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It is worn on the fourth finger'ofthe left hand becauseof a veryold {and incorrect)idea that a vein or nerveruns from this finger directlyto the heart. At the end of the weddingceremony,the groom and bride are pronouncedhusband and wife and are invited to kiss each other. Then,the entire wedding processionwalks backup the aisle.After a churchwedding,guestsmay throw rose petals,confetti (small piecesof colored paper),or rice at the newlywedsas they leavethe church.Rice,a common fertilitysymbol,is supposedto help the couplehavechildren.Sometimes, the couple's car is decoratedwith tin cans, paper streamers,or old shoes,along with a "fust Married"sign. The tin cans and shoes reflect an old idea that noisemakersscareaway evil spirits and bring good luck. After the ceremony,there is a ranption-a party with food, drinks,and dancing.During the reception,the weddingcake,which is usuallytall with white frosting,is displayed.Most weddingcakeshavea miniaturebride and groom or miniaturewedding bells on top. After the meal, the bride and groom cut the cakeand it is servedto the guests.Some gueststake home a slice of cakein a little box. Some people believethat if a singlewoman sleepswith this pieceof cakeunderher pillow she will dreamof the man she is going to marry. Iust before the bride leavesthe reception, she throws a bouquet of flowers backward over her head to a group of single women standing behind her. Supposedly,the one who catchesthe bouquet will be the next to marry.At some weddings,the groom throws his bride's garter to the single men. Catching the garter also means an approaching maniage. Thereare, of course,endlessvariations on American weddings.Sonreweddingscombine American customs with those of the couple's native countries. Many weddings blend customs from different cultures becausethe bride and groom are from different ethnic or religious backgrounds.Other couples discard tradition and "do their own thing." Some couples want their wedding to reflect their interests or display their talents. They may, for example,write their own wedding vows.They may get manied on a mountaintop or a beach and wear blue jeans.Many couples havegotten manied in front of the Statue of Liberty. One couple even held their wedding ceremony in an amusement park on a roller coaster! Who pays for the wedding? In the past, the bride's parents were expectedto pay for and almost everything. But today the averageAmerican wedding costs about $lg,OOO, some large, lavish ones run as high as $80,000.Therefore,expensesare often shared by the parents on bth sides. Of course;tsiimecouples (especiallyolder ones) pay for their weddings themselves.To avoid the expense and trouble of planning a large wedding, some couples elope. Others go to City Hall, where a iudge can "tie the knot." (These types of weddings may also be chosen when parents disapprove of the match.) People marryingfor the second (or third, fourth, or fifth!) time may do so quietly wilh only a few guestspresent. To be legally wed, a couple need only fulfill the requirementsset by the state in which the ceremony is performed. State laws determine who may get a marriage license. In most states,teenagers18or older can marrywithout parentalconsent,but 16-and 17year-oldsmust have parental permission. In most states, those under age l6 are not allowed to marry. Marriagesbetween first cousins or people more closely related are for-
2 o Marriage:AmericanStyle CHAPTER
bidden in many states.Most statesrequiremedicalexaminationsand certificatesbefore issuinga marriagelicense,and some refuselicensesto peoplewith certainphysical or mentalillnesses. 16 After the wedding,the newlywedsusuallytake a vacationcalleda honeymoon.This word means"month of honey"in French.lt refersto a formercustom-for newlywedsto sharea drink madewith honeyeveryday duringthe first month of their marriage.
List ftveAmericanweddingcust!ffis.
The Contemporary American Marriage 17
Among marriedcouplesin the U.S.,one finds a wide rangeof livingpatterns.Some older couplesstill havetraditional marriages,with the man as breadwinner(moneyeamer)and the woman as homemaker.But most youngerwomen today are not content to be full-time homemakers.The women's liberation movement, which swept the country in the 1960s,changedattitudes and behaviorforever.Today'syoung American woman wants maniage,but she also wants to keep her own identity.She wants what men have alwayshad-a marriagethat is important but still allowstime to pursue individual goals.The maiority of Americanwives,even those with children,work outside the home. As a result, the older idea that housework, cooking, and child care are "women'swork" is being discarded. In the contemporary American marriage,the husband and wife shareboth financialand domesticresponsibilities.In most families,the working wife probat ly still handles the larger shareof the housework,cooking,and child care, but she gets some help from her husband. l8 Sharing money-making and housekeepingresponsibilities provides a better life for both parents. The typical American wife enioys being out in the working world. Her husband discoversthat cooking and child care can be fun and can bring him closer to his family. He mayalso find that it's nice to have his wife's help in supporting the family. Of course,problems can develop in the two-income family if the husbandexpectshis working wife to be the perfect homemakerthat his stay-at-homemother was.Also, there may be arguments if the wife expects h"erhusband tohelp with household chores,but he is unwilling todo"so. 19 The contemporary American maniage is also characterizedby a relationship of equality and shared decision making. Most American women today will not tolerate a husband who considers himself the boss. The American girl is given freedom and education equal to a bot's. After completing her education, she is able to get a iob and support her-
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UNIT i r Attitudes. Values.and Lifestvles
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self.Shedoes not needto marryfor financialsecurity.She is self-sufficient and will not accepta submissiverole in marriage.Whenhusbandand wifeareableto sharedecision makingand respecteach other'sviewpoints,their marriageis probablycloserthan thoseof past generationsWhenthey battlefor dominance,they'relikelyto end up in divorcecourt.
Z**ro* ,Comlmh3mlofi
Howhaswomen's liberationaffected theAmericanmarriage?
t i
Divorce and Alternative Lifestyles 20
21
I
,
22
23
24
2s
Americansbelievethat they are entitled to happiness,and they expectmarriageto contributeto their enjoymentof life. But in one study in l999, only 38"/"of the Amerias "veryhappy."(ln 1970,the figurewas53%.)For cansquestionedidentifiedthemselves place every100marriagesthat take today,there are about 50 divorces.The U.S.divorce rate is twice that of Europeand three times higherthan fapan's. What goeswrong?The fact that divorceis so common in the U.S.does not meanthat Americansconsider marriagea casual,unimportant relationship.fust the opposite is true. Americansexpecta great deal from marriage.They seekphysical,emotional,and intellectual compatibility. They want to be deeply loved and understood. lt is because Americans expect so much from mariage that so many get divorced. They prefer no maniage at all to a marriage without love and understanding. With typical American optimism, they end one mariage hoping that the next will be happier.No-fault divorce laws in many states make it eacierthan ever to get a divorce. When a couple gets divorced,the court may require the man to pay his former wife a monthly sum of money called alimony. The amount of alimony dependson the husband'sincome,the wifes needs,and the length of the maniage.lf the woman is work ing and earnsa good salary she may receiveno alimony at all. Occasionally,the court decidesthat a woman should pay her husbandalimony. lf the woman has supported her husbandduring the mariage, the court may decidethat she must continue to suppon him after the divorce. lf a divorcing couple has children,the court must determine which parent the children will live with and who will provide for their support. In most cases,the children live with the mother and the father pays child support and has visitation rights. However,it is not uncommon for a father to get full custody or ioint custody when this arangement is in the childrens best interest. The high risk of divorce doesn't seem to make Americans afraid to marry again- Remaniage and the creation of new, blended families is extremely common in the U.S. One American ioke tells of a wife calling to her secondhusband, "Ouick,lohn! Come hereand help me! Your childrenand my childrenare beating up our children!" Although the maiority of Americanadults marry,the number of people living alternative lifestyles is increasing,and their behavior is increasinglyacceptedby the general population.The number of unmarriedcouples living together rose from about half a million in 1970to more than 4 million today.Many older people are upset by the grow-
CHAPTER 2 o Marriage:AmericanStyle
---E
$l
ing number of unmarried.gouplesliving together.However,this is not iust an American trend. lt's quite common in Europe,too. The lifestyleof the gay population,which includes approximately3.5"Aof Americanmen and 2% of Americanwomen, is also consideredalternative.Many gay people live with same-sexpartnersin relationshipsthat last for many years,with the same loyalty,emotionalattachment,and financialcommitmentsas traditionalmarriages.
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aaaimWhudosomanyAmencans Ztomfinbifritbn getdivorced? Happy Anniversary! 26
Maintaininga good marriagehas alwaysbeen work as well as fun, so it's no wonder that Americanscetebratethe completionof each successfulyear.Marriedcouplescelebrate most of their weddinganniversariesratherquietly,perhapsby going out for a romantic dinner for two or by sharingthe occasionwith family membersor closefriends. the twenty-fifth and fiftieth-are consideredmore But certain anniversaries---especially important and are commontycelebratedwith big parties.A particulartype of gift is traditional for each anniversary(clocksfor the first, crystal or glass for the third, silverware for the fifth, and so on). This custom is often ignored except for the twenty-fifth anniversary,when silver is given, and the fiftieth, when a gift of gold is traditional. It is a joyous occasion when a couple celebratesa golden wedding anniversarywith their children, grandchildqen,and great-grandchildrenaround them. Reachingthis moment is a goal of most young couples when they walk down the aisle as bride and groom'
AFTERYOU RTAO l. Getting the Message A. Discussor writeanswersto ftese guestionson a separatepieceof paper.Wrttecomplete sentences. 1. What are three good things thatpara$raph 1 saysabout matna$e? 2. Whatare twobad things thatparaggaph 1 saysaboUt maria$e? 3. CompareAmerican wedding customsto wedding sustons in other countries' Which are the sameor similar? Which are different? 4. What two alternative lifestyles are discussedin this chapter?
UNIT1 . Attitudes,Values,and Lifestyles
il dlr.-
B. Chronological I order means"in.o "inorderof fime"or "in theorderthateyentshappened." put the followingevents eyentsin chronological chronolol orderby numberingthem7-6, startingwtththe earliest. k wedding day .CI silver anniversary fr
5
shower for the bride-to-be
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hotteymoon
L at
errgugement marriage proposal
ll. BuildingYour Vocabulary A. Iheseare the 15 key vocabulary wordsfor this chapter.Theyare boldfacedin the reading.Pronounce fhesewordsafteryour teacher,anddiscusstheirmeanings. I
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engagement
alimony anniversary bride @remony elope
optimism superstition symbolize
groom honeymoon identical
veil
license
wedding
B. Completethesesentenceswtthsomeof the keyvocabulary words.Makenounsplura!if necessary,and puteachverb intothe correcttenseand form. 1. In order to get married" the engagedcouple must get amarraage P"i"es
2. Thetraclitional
wa[
gown and a(n)
over her face. \J4 " 3. During the ceremony,thebride and $ \r"p.r i &**k t q-*Q\""dding rings.
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n\ -*{) ). Many contemporary wedding customscome from 616 n*l4tr,$r,t[;5]" about - :. the bridal couple from protecting bad luck.'-' 6. Somecouples
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9. When a married couple ge divorced, the manusuallypays
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CHAPTER 2 . Marriage:AmericanStyle
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10. A wedding r Slp*.L-'.*'tfl*arks thebeginning of a man"iagr 11. With tJapicalAmerican
divorced people usually rernann
|2.A$o1denwedding@lebrates50yealsl;l.l:::lt.:.i;'l.1.l: C. In academicwritin$, scientistsand social scientists often pi'",ii111',' ,r,'ii. including the mndian and the mean (average). took these words up in a dictionary. Note that paragraph 2 gives the median age of A:r:e;-ir..::-i-.i i.r'riji':r r',r grooms. Since the median of a series of numbers is the middie nr,rnber; il :::.::; that half of American brides today are older than 25, and half are r,'4":ringer. Now answerthe followingquestions: 1. What is the median in this series of numbers : 3, 4, 5, 17, 72? ?-, 2. Whatis the mean of this same series?D. Homongms are words that sound alikebut have different meani:rg-,s ar;il ".-.r''r., i., Pronounceand discuss the followingtwo groupsof homonyms.fh*n ili;,:.r;,:,i;rr il;g ",:.-:,, words to completethe sentencesbelow. Use a dicticnaryrf you nccc r,1,. '
I'11/aisle/isle
altat / alter
1. The bride walked down the (aisle/ isle)to the (aUql / alter': 2. If the bride wants to (alnr / altr) her dress,(isle/ I'll) helr ii,,r'. E. Very few English words have aqnnt marks. But somewords tftrat'rr,':;ir,, L.,ir, j:"qC r-l;r', i,:ir,,:r:.1 lr.i English from other languageskeep the accenttnarksthe-r language. j rfurftuirili.itu Lookup thewordsfiancf andfiancdein a dictionary.Whatrs the Ujfr"rediu,s
lll. SharpeningReadingSkills A. Scanning for Specific Information Scanningis a use&rlrc;id:;:f ;ldJ vlle,. i::r you scan,you moveyour eyesquickly over a passage, lo*,kir:g fi;r ;: tirt'.rii:ri!;l-.{ri.:;':; facm)thatyouvrant. Scanparagraph8 to lookfor the peoplewhoarepart of the we*dingperiv irsf si.s.
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B. ContelG Clues The word;r'zsr is used in three different,.vavs iii fl-ric1l-,':';i',;, The three meanings are (1) only, (2) exactly, and (3) a \rer.y sh*rf tirnr: bi:{i:;r"r,r.
UNIT 1 . Attitudes, Values,and [ifestyles
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1. Findjust in eachparagraphlistedbelow.Then,on the blanklines,writethe numberthat matchesthemeaningof just as it is usedin eachparagraph. a . paragraph 5
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b. paragraph7 -&-l
c. paragraph10 3
e. paragraphzl L
d.. paragraph72 3
f purug."ph 25 &-l
2. Nowuse context clues to determinethe meaningsof the ttalicizedwords in the paragraphsindicated.On each blank line, write the correct definition. 4 Inpara{raph 5, showermeans a. apargr for abride-to-be b. a rainstorm c. away for a person to wash InparagraphlT, d.omzstirmeans a. not fore4fn b. a servant c. household
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lV. Understandingldioms and Expressions Choosethecorrectexpression to answer eachquestion andwriteit on theline.Thenumbers parentheses g:Ne paragraphs in in the whichtheexpressions are used. (2a) -beatup . bestman (8) '-breadwinner (tT)
6aid. of honor (8) - no wonder (26) * setup (5) their ourn tling (13) aae the knot (fa) -do (3) - walk dow.n the aisle (26) - fall inlove
1. What two idioms mean "to {et maried'? -lJ*,,rz{ ,t["". +$ rrri J) u
2. What do Americans call the person who earns the money for a family? breasl'zu { 'urt-f,' 3. What e4pressionmeens 'to dq thinglsin their own way?
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4. What expressionmeans "to hurt someoneinafi$tt'2
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means"to becomeromanticallv involved'?
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CHAPTER 2 . Marriage:AmericanStyle
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tiI 7. Who is the person whp helps the groom at a weddingf; t".i/^
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8. What expression means "to arrange things for a particular activity"?
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9. What expressionmeansthat something is not surprisingf; tVt''' &L{ t^u
V. TakingWordsApart Practice with Parts of Speech A. Lookin a dictionaryandfindwhatpart(s)of speecheachof thesewordsare usedas. Wrttethe part(s)of speechon the linesafter thewords. Example matnafe:.
married:
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marital
64^
maniage, or marital-tocomplete married, each B. Writein theconectword-marry statement. _l \r'r'al ti (a* for 35 years. 1. Joe and Sarahhavebeen happily $raXLf has lasted a long time. Z. T1',6u r,r",ra people live longer than sin$e people? 3. Did you know tnat t".^ t"t eA
a.
t,rraq-t+dil
difficulties can lead to divorca
5. I would like to get A"r^a* 6. Why didJanet
next year. that strangeman?
Vl. PracticingSentencePatterns paragraphs to. 7he besupposed 7, 70,and1I. Notelte usesof theexpressrbn A. Reread usingsupposed to. Answer tfiesequestions is similarto shouldor beexpected meaning to. to do? 1. What is somethingthatyoun$childrenarenot supposed 2. Whatis something thatyou are supposedto do often?
and Lifestyles UNIT1 o Attitudes,Values,
r
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B. Notethe useof thewordsuppgsedly in paragraph72. Discussits meaning.
c. Discussthe differentmeaningsofthesefwo sentences: 1. I supposeit will rain tonight. 2. Supposeit rains tonight.
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Vll. Sharingldeas A. lssues Debatetfieseissuesin smal!groups.Thenchooseone andwrite aboutit.
i
1. Comparesingle life with married lifa Which is better?
t
2. Is there any point in having a big wedding, or is it just a waste of money? 3. Is it necessaryfor a man to be the bossin amarria{e for him to be happy? B. On a Perconal Note Writeaboutone of ftese toprbs 1. Consider marital relationships in other countries. How are they similar to and how are they different ftom American marriages? 2. Prctend,that you wele a guestat an American wedding. Urrite a letter to a friend describing the ceremonyand the reception3. In your opinion, should a person marry only aftir falling in love?
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CHAPTER2 r Marriage:AmericanStyle
American Famil
A birthdaycelebration
BrronrYouRseo Discuss 1. The tetm rutclearfamilg refers to parents and their childreq the utendzd f&milg includes other relatives.Name as many of theserelatives as you can, including those related by "blootl" (genetically)and by marriage. 2. What major trends in American family life do you predict will be discussedin this chapter? 3. What is the agerarigefor each of the following: teenagq ad;ult,rni"ddl.e age, seni.orcitizm?
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Guess Tryto answerthe questions. Thenlookfor the answers in thereading. 1. What percnntageof American motherswith children under age18 are employed?Check (/) one SITo
3 7 o /o
71o/o
2. What's the most popular American pet?Check t/) one: dog _c;lt
_bird
3. What is the approximate median family income in the U.S. today?Clrcck(/) one: _
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$22,000
_
$42,000 _
$62,OOO
Atnerican Farnilg Life Whob at Home? The family--one of the oldest human :nstitutions---has existed for about 300,000 years,continually changing with the times. In the U.S.A, as in all other nations, family life is the basis of individual securityand cultural continuity. 'We can chooseour friends, but we can't choose our relatives," Americanssometimes complain. Yet there is also an American saying:"Blood is thickerthan water."Our relatives maydrive us crazy,but they are also the first people we call to report good news or to ask for help. Americanslove, arguewith, and live with their families.Of the l0l million householdsin the U.S.,70million are families. Most other households consist of one person living alone. Less than 10"/"of households are made up of people not related to each other. But today's typical American household is quite different from those of other times and places.The title of this section of the reading asks"Who'sat home?"The answerreveals various aspects of the new lifestyles. Nowadays, 62"/"of American households have no children under age 18.About 7l % of women with children under age 18are employed. Why? Some work becausethe family needs the money,others becausethey find it more interesting than being full-time homemakers.Most women work for both of these reasons.The life of the working mother is stimulating but also very h.gqffqand o o-1.'rr stressful. Working mothers who also try to handle all the homemaking tasks find that they are often tired and initable. To avoid these problems, some women hire household help (but few hav.e live-in servants).Others simply do less work around the house.A few nights a week, dinner comes from a carry'out restaurant (sometimes called a take'out restaurant) instead of the oven. Dust lies patiently on the furniture until the weekend.
CHAPTER3 o AmericanFamilyLilg
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WhenMotheris employed,the livesof herspouseand herchildrenareaffectedWhen her husbandand olderchildren Mother has lesstime for child careand housekeeping. usuallybecomemore involvedin thesetasks.In addition,older childrenntustbe more Today'sAmericanmothermay spendonly a few hoursa daywith her chilself-sufficient. dren.Some peoplesaythis is okayif the time spent togetheris "qualitytime."Others feel that babiesand youngchildrenneed stay-at-homemothersand that this changein Iifestyleweakensthe family.In addition, the working mother has createdanothergreat social need-affordable, high-qualityday-carefacilities for preschoolchildren. Thereis also concernabout the decliningrole of fathersin the livesof Americanchildren. About 40"/oofAmericanchildren (24 million) do not live with their fathers.(Alof Americanfamiliesare headed by two parents,many childrenlive though about 75"/o with a mother and stepfather.)TWofactors-the high divorcerate and the largenumber of children born to unmarriedmothers (about 32%of Americaninfants)--deprivemillions of Americanchildrenof daily contactwith their father.Someseetheir fatherson a weeklybasis,but, if the parentslive in different parts of the country Dad may become an infrequentcompanion. On the other hand,about 2 million dadsof childrenunder l5 areprimarycaregivers. (That:s, thesedads are doing the mothering!)ln some of these households,there is no mother. In others,the father is unemployedor a full-time student. But the occupation of houshusbardis usually a temporary career, not a permanent one. In homes where parents share childrearing responsibilities,children may spend about the sameamount of time with each parent.
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How else has family life changedforAmerican children? In recent decades,the typical American family has been getting smaller.The statistical averageis now 3.2 people. Becauseit is expensiveto raise children and mothers need to work, most couples have only one or two children. Therefore,children don't have the kind of companionshipthey once did from a large group of siblings. Millions of preteens with two working parents come home from school to an empty house. To improve the situation, many schools and communities offer after-schoolprogramsthat provide a place for childrento go and interesting activities for them to get involved in. lf parents and children aren't home much in the American family, at least the pets are. Nearly60 million Americanslive with one or more animals.Dogsare most popular
UNIT I o Attitudes, Values,and Lifestyles
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t_ 130millionof them!),and 2T.millioncatscomenext.Birds,fish,smallrodentssuchas guineapigs and gerbils,and evensnakesadd companionshipand fun to the American family B Most Americanchildrenlive with their parentsat leastuntil they finish high school at age | 7 or 18.Then,manygo awayto college,leavingsomeparentssad and lonelyin their "empty nest" and others happy to have fewer parental responsibilities.However, many young,singleadults live with their parentsduring their collegeyearsor return home after collegegraduation.The high cost of housing keepsmany young adults in their parents'home until they get maried. Moreover,after a divorce,adults may return to the parental home temporarilyor even on a long-term basis,especiallyif they are lonely,short of money,or in need of babysittinggrandparents. g Althoughadult childrensometimescome home to Mom and Dad,middle-agedand elderlypeopletry to avoidmovingin with their grownchildren.Olderpeopletakepride in their independence, enloy their freedom,and do not want to be a burdento their children.Thetelephone,the car,the airplane,and e-mail keepfamiliesin closecontact evenwhen they live in differentparts of the country. { r tt#{{ 10 tn the U.S., it's common for a famiiy to slan- four generadons-from great- (r.{-.{-l,ri grandparertsto infants.For babies born today, boys have a life expectancyof Z3 and girls' life expectancyis 79.iome 35 million seniorcitizens(age65 or older) makeup almost 137"of the nations population,and the nation s over-85population is increasing rapidly. Senior citizens are often thought of as two different groups-the "young-old" (ages65 to 80) and the "old-old" {over 80). Youngerseniorstend to be quite activeworking part time, traveling,enjoying leisure activities with friends,and crossingthe country to visit their children and grandchildren.Americansproudly watched771eav old former senator and astronaut lohn Glenn riding through spaceand 75-year-oldtormer president GeorgeBush skydiving.They know that folks in their 70s are not stuck in rocking chairs. 11 But what about the "old-old"?Sometimes,newcomersto the U.S-mistakenlyconclude that Americanssimply leavetheir elderly parents in nursing homes and forget about them. Actually,only about 5"6of todafs seniorcitizenslive in nursinghomes.Millions of middle-agedAmericans-members of the "sandwichgeneration"-take care of both their elderly parents and their children. However,for elderly people who are very ill or disabled,a nursinghome may be the only alternativeif their childrenare working and no one is home during the dayto take care of them. Family members usually select a nursing home nearby so that they can visit often. Also, in many communities, retirement residenceshave been developed to provide living facilities for older people who don't need nursing carebut who can no longer handle the burden of shopping and cooking for themselves.Americansare constantly seeking new ways of caring for increasing numbers of older people with physical limitations.
HowhasAmericanfamilUlifecftanged asa result outsidethe home? of Americanmothersulorfting
CHAPTER 3 . American FamilyLife -IT 5
Where Is Home? The majorityof Americanslive in or near largecities,but small-townliving is still widespread.A suburb(a smallercommunityneara big city) combinesthe advantages of safel more intimatesmall-townlife with the recreationaland culturalfacilitiesand job opportunitiesof the big city nearby. i3 About two-thirdsof Americanslive in homesor apaftmentsthat they own,but many peoplerent their residences. Apartmentbuildingsrangefrom walk-upswith two to six apartmentsto high-riseelevatorbuildingswith morethan a hundredunits.Someapartmentsare veryexpensiveand elegant;othersare built for moderate-or low-incomefamilies. Many apartmentbuildingsare condominiums(condos),which meansthat each familyownsthe unit it livesin. Someare co-ops,which meansresidentsown sharesof the wholebuilding. 14 More than 7 million Americanhouseholdslive in mobile homes-living quarters built on wheels.Mobile homescan be movedbut aregenerallybroughtto a permanent site. After the wheels are removed,the home is attachedto the ground. Becausethey cost less than conventionalhomes,mobile homesare especiallypopularwith young couplesand retiredcoupleslivingon a limited income. For the typical Americanfamily, home may be in a Cifferentplace everyfive or six years.(Everyyear,about 16"/"of Americanschangeresidences.)Allthis movingdeprives the nuclearfamily of havingmany relativesand longtime friends living nearby.The nuclear family must now supply the companionshipand help once provided in part by aunts,uncles,cousins,and closefriendsliving in the neighborhood.Adult siblingsmay find iobs in different parts of the country. Retired grandparents may move to the Sun Belt (one of the southern or southwesternstates), where the climate is warm. But family memberShop into a car or onto a planeto come togetherfor maior turning points in one anothers lives. Such events includp birthdays, graduations,weddings,anniversaries,and funerals.Familypartiesmay be all the more ioyouswhen they bring together relativeswho haven'tseeneachother for a while. 12
If
affectfamilies? HowiloesthemobilitgofAmericans Who Pays theBills? The median family income in the U.S.is in the $42,000range,but it may be significantly higher when both parents work full time. In 1940,only 15"/"of married women worked; today, about 54"/"do. Although men still tend to have more responsibility and earn higher wagesin the Americanworkplace,it is not uncommon for women to eam as much as or more than their husbands. 't7 Mom's salaryhelpsto buy the things the familywants--a computer,a secondor third family car,and so on. The desire for nice and useful possessionsmakesthe two-income family almost a necessity.However,a lot of money is needed not only for things but also for experienc€s:surrffi€r camp for the children, a vacation for the family, lessons in musicor sports,religiousinstruction,and-most expensiveof all----acollegeeducation. 18 While middle-classand wealthyfamiliesprovidemuch to enrichtheirchildren'slives, about 19"/"of Americanchildren(13.5million) grow up in poverty.Familieswith two t6
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UNIT 'l . Attitudes, Values,and Lifestyles
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wage-eamersare much less.likelyto be poor than those with only one. When there is and especiallywhen it's the mother,the family'sincome may only one wage-earner, barelypay for the necessitiesof life 19 What about children'searnings?In the past, children were a financialasset. They workedon the farm or elsewhereand contributed to the family's income.Today,state and federal laws limit the knds of work children can do, how many hours a weekthey can work, and at what age they can begin to do certain types of work. Exceptfor parttime jobs such as babysitting,shovelingsnow,mowing lawns,or deliveringnewspapers, nrostAmericanchildrendo not work until they are l5 or l6 yearsold. Then,manywork part time to savemoneyfor collegeor to havespendingmoneyfor their personalneeds. Theyaren't expectedto contributetheir earningsto the family.
Z touqt*t of theAmericanfamily? ,_{qrygnslutWhopaysforall the possessions Who's in Gharge? 20
21
22
23
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No longer do Americanfamiliessay,"Fathers wo.d is law.' Today':family tries to be democratic,to give all family memberssome voice in decisionsthat affectthe household. Of qf,urse,this approach is not alwayspossible, but when parents must makethe decisions, they are usually made by both parents. The democratic approach to family life does not prevent all family quarrels. Americans have familiar phrases to describe various types of family arguments. First, there's the battleof thesdes,when husband and wife fight for control of the family. Then theres sibling rivalrlt-
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within the precedingmonth.)Manyof theseproblemsare causedby influencesoutside the family.But the maiority of teenagersare "good kids" and grow up into responsible adults. A small percentageof troubled parents (especiallythose who were mistreatedby 25 their own parents)physicallyabusetheir children.Child abuse has been much publicizedin recentyears,and the publicity createsan incorrectpicture of the Americanfamily. In general,Americansare very loving,kind, generous,and permissiveparents. JZI,,,,.,r,,.,.,'-r'',*.,,.
l.li0HTof'ffipr$mNon Whatareslmeexnmples of battlesforcontrolwithinan Americanfamily? Parenthood: A Choice Havingor not havingchildren is mostly a matter of choice thesedays.Coupleswho don't want children haveaccessto a wide rangeof birth control methodsand, as a last resort,the option of abordon, which has been legalthroughout the U.S.since 1973.For people who want children but have medical problems that interfere,modem scienceoffers many new techniquesto help them. lf none of thesework, there is alwaysthe possibility of adopdon. Some Americansadopt babies or young children from other countries, especially those countries where wars and other tragedies have created a Iarge population of orphans. Howeverparenting begins, it continues to be what it has always been--a wonderful (and difficult!) experienceof giving, caring,and sharing.American children may spend lesstime with their family than childrendid in the past. Nevertheless,familiesstlii sivr: children their most important experiencesand values as well as their most er:"..,j, and significant relationships.
ArrenYou ReRo l. Getting the Message pieceof paper.Writecomplete or writeanswers to ftese questbnsona separate Dltscuss if you needhetp. indicated Reread theparagraphs sentences. I .
1. What aretwo reasonsthat sornanyAmericanchildrenlive with only one parent? (4) of workingp What are two disadvantag*s'" 2. Fbr mothers, what are two advantagfes (2) 3. What changeshave occurred in the Anerican family now that so maryy' American wives and mothers work? (3) 4. Why rd&t someAmerican children feel sadand lonely? (a, 6, tS) 5. What are two types of living facilities for seniorswho can no longlerlive al*nr':i
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UNIT 1 e Attitudes, Values.and Lifestyles
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6. What are some commonreasons that parents argue with their teenage children?
(23,24)
ll. BuildingYour Vocabulary wordsfor this chapter.Theyare boldfacedin the A. Iheseare the 15 keyvocabulary thesewordsafteryour teacherand discusstheir meanings. reading.Pronounce hectic orphan quality
abortion adoption ambivalent s'dSS€t
--quarrelf relative'
generation
rivalry ' sibling
stressfultemporary widespread
words. , thesesentenceswith someof thekey vocabulary B. Complete i i*' /.''ra4" 1. If your weekdays areveryhectigthey are probably ".o 2. The oppos.iteof a liability (an expense,debt, or disadvantage)is a(n)
rJuu'tiJ"V tl'-4*.g 3. The word competitionhas a meaninglsimilar to the word r'^*' 4. The oppositeof permawnt is {t.t"" f UE ft. 5. An a4lument is the sameas a(n)
n'f rtl r
6. Somerrothers want to vlolk, butthey also wantto stayhome with their rtf" !r \ children. They have conflicting, e1 orrr * ! /^ trt-\ , feelingsabout workin$ away from home. ,,I nazq refers to how good orbad somethingis. But this 7. Thewonl ? ? word is atsosofoetim". tit"d to mean that something is good8. With five young children in the family, their parents have a(n)
Lrc'ffe-.
fifa
members. aboutfamily tfresestatements therightwordto complete C. Choose c'l*a*r* family.Aunts, 1. Parentsand their childrenareconsideredthe \qu t
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nncles, and cousins arepartof the
*\r4rucLt d family. tac*nfud/rudcar)
S . (customers / consins) 2. your aunfs dauglrterand sonareyour --+S"f'"t'u"rrt4 . furrcl.e / a.u'nt) 3. Yourmother'sbrotheris your 4. If your father divorcesyour motherand reurarries,his secondwife is your (stepmatlur/ second. mothn)
t.
"Quanel can be a noun or a vert.
(contitued on thz nact page)
3 . AmericanFamilyUfe CHAPTER
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5- If your father and his.new wife have a daughter, she will be your
(skter/ half-skter) 6. Mr. Brown's sister has a son namedJoe and a daughter namedJenniferJoe is
Mr. Brown's (nephaa/ nkce)
, andJennifer is Mr- Brown's
Y
7. Joe andJennifer are brother and sister. In other words, they are U{1,., .(sibtings/spouses) t. O"
"" "nnh**n, (sibling/spouse)
your husband or wife is referred to as your
J'?e"*'l,!t I
I rr . @randfather/father-in-law) {*"{'tru 10. The membersofyour familyareyour c {-LuLvu'q . (orpharc/ rel^atives) 9. Your spouse'sfather is your
after his parents were killed. Then, through
11. Tom became a(n)
Tom found a new family. {a"dnption/ orphan)
12. From grandparentto grandchild there are two
/ @enerals
gewrati.ons)
lll. SharpeningReadingSkills A. Figures of Speech
Figurativelaqrurge&ses imagesthat aren't taken literally.
Eramples "empty nest" (paragraph 8)
"sandwich generation" (paragraph 11)
Lookat these expressions. Whatis the motherwhosechildrenhave goneoff to collegebeing comparedto? Whois ln the middleof the "sandtich"?Writethe meaningsof these expressions !. "emptyrnest': 2. "sandwich gleneration": B. Find the Meaning Readeachquotationfromthe readingcarefuW.Then,on eachblankline,write the lefterof the wordor phrasethat meansfte sameth@. Theparagraphnumberis in parenfteses. l. u... dinner comesfrom a carry-out restaurant instead of the oven." (2) The dinneris eaten ,Q. at home b. at the lastaurant 2. ". .. dinner comesfrom a carr5r-outrestaurant instead of the oven." (2) The phrase iratea"dof me,ans a. and {g rrot /rcf
UNIT I . Attitudes, Values,and Lifestyles
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3. "There is also concern about the declining role of fathers . . " (4) This statement means that -. a. people don't care about the situation ,O people are worried about the situation
4. "There is also concern about the declining role of fathers . . Fathers are becomin$ _. @ 1".. important b. more important
5. "- . . anursing home maStbethe onJy alternative . . ." (11) A nursing home is probably a. the only choice where older people want to live $ 6. "In the past, children \ 7erea financiaTasset." (19) In the past, children -. a. cost a lot of moneY
'$ earned money for the family 7. "No longierdo American familiessay,'Father'sword is law.'" (20) Nol.ongermeans -. @ not anJrmore b. notverylon$ 8. "However parentingbegins . . ." (27) This phrasemeans a. although parentingbe$ins b. no matterhow parentin$begins
lV. Understandingldiomsand Expressions _: t: i
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give A. On eachline,write the letterof thecorrect defrnition.The numbersin parentheses for usea dicf,onary help. are used.lf necessary, in whichthe expressrbns the paragraphs l: Qtnlity tirne (3) means 4, enougs time lQj time spent together in a meaningfrrl way 2. Ah.ou.sefusbann 6) is -. doesmost of the family's homemakin$ tasks manwho a fi. b. amanvrho owns ahouse 3. The SanBelt (15) refersto -. 6. the warmer statesin the South and Southwest b. the diameter of the sun 4. A tuming point (15) in a person'slife refers to a $ m4jor changle b. move to anottrer citv
(continwd
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CHAPTER 3 . American FamilyLife
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5. The gencrati.ongap (21) refers to _-. a. the number of years between parent and child @ the difEculty that parents and children have understanding each other 6. The person who is in charge {22) _. p makes the decisions b. uses the credit cards B Whichof the followingsfatemenfscan be completedwth vice versa7Write in vice versa whenit is correct.
Erample Day follows night and
vice versa
1. Parentslove their children and
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2. Cats eat mice and 3. Children like to watch TV and
4. Children enjoy playing with dogsand
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V. TakingWords Apart Practice with Plurals Reviewsomerulesabout wrrtingpluralsin English.Thenwritethe pluralsof the following words.Usea dictionaryfor helpif necessary.Be careful!Sone of thesewords haveirregular pluralforms.Oneis an uncountablenounthat hasno plural.Wntenoneafter that word. Erample activity:
activitiee e
basis:
f A ^r66y4
Jr\rt4
til'e:
.^ t C'r"fi
OOveftV: v/oman:
child:
CAi Xd"'{-\t- '
fish'
&?{r*
sister-in-1aw,
, g'+4&fr
V\{. \ti\fl4
Vl. PracticingSentencePatterns Question Word Order The uzualword orderfor questionsin En$ish is h€hing verb, subject, main verb. helping verb
subject
Why did the American family
main verb
change?
maln helping verb subject verb you pay the rent? When do When the question word is the subject of the sentencg statement word order is used. With the simple present and simple past tenses, the helping verb is not used tf the question word is the subject of the sentence. marn subject verb
Who pays the rent for this office? main verb subject What happened
to your car?
answer. Nowwriteguestionsthat thefollowingparagraphs 1. (paragraph2) Why 2. {paragraph 7) How many 3. (paragraph11) Where 4. (paragraph2}) Who
Vll. Sharingldeas A. lssues theseissuesin smal!groups.Ihenchooseone andwrite aboutit. Dehatte 1. Social scientist Erich Fromm believedthat mothers and fathers love their childlen in different ways. A mother's love is unconditional, he believed.She lovesher child justbecause the child is hers, while a father's love has to be earned. Do you think this is true? How doesa child "earn" love? 2. Somewomen decide to becomepregnant by artificial insemination. Is this a $ood idea?If the father is an unidentified donor, the child will never know who he was. Is this fair to the child? 3. Somestatesand communities have parental-responsibilitylaws. If children commit c:rimes,their parents canbe sued,fined, or evenjailed. Is this a good idea?What if the parents contribute to the crime (for examplg by carelessly leaving guns unlocked)? B. On a Perconal Note Writeaboutoneof thesetoPics. 1. Write about somethin$ you once had ambivalent feeling about doing' Tell whether you did it and whether you were gflador sorry about your decision. 2. C,omparcthe problems of American families with the problems of families in other countries. Are tlere any similarities? 3. What is your idea of the perfect family? CHAPTER 3 . AmericanFamilyLife H
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American Eti uette
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'Wedidn't baseime topicL up a bottleofvsine, but th* . arubat we would baztetf*t""
BrroRrYou Rrao Discuss 1. How do American manners comFareto polite behavior in ofher countries? 2. Onwhat occasionsis it traditional to give giffs? Do you think this is the same ever5nvhere? 3. Many workers who perform servicesfor others expect to receivetips (extra money). Name the t;pes of workers that you would tip.
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Guess Tryto answerthe questions.Thenlookfor the answersin thereading. 1. What is the expectedresponseto the formal greeting, "How do you do?" Check (/) one -
"f'm fine."
"I'm a student."
"How do you do?"
2. What is the polite responsewhen someone sneezes?Check (/) one: "Mv condolences."
"Bless you."
_
"Please cover your nose."
Arnerican Etiqaette American Attitudes and Good Manners 1
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How do peopleknowwhat is consideredgood manners in a particularculture?In the seventeenth-centurycourt of King l-,ouisXIV it was easy.Visitors were givenuneetiquette (a ticket) Iisting rules of acceptablebehavior. And that was the origin of today'sEnglish word etiquefte, which refersto the proper way to behave in social situations. "Etiquette?"some people laugh. 'With Americans,anything goes."It's true that Americans are rather casual.Still, there are many social bhadersthat will offend them. Most American attitudes about good manners relate to showing respect and consideration for others. Americans believe that all people are entitled to equal opportunity and respect.No one is privileged,and no one is worthless.A person who acts very humble and timid will make his or herAmerican friends uncomfortable. On the other hand, a domineeringperson will have trouble keepingAmerican friends. A polite but assertive manner is socially acceptable.No matter what your status is in relation to another person, feel free to look directly into his eyesand speakyour true feelings.Occasionally,it is a social necessityto tell a 'white lie'and compliment someoneon something you don't really like. But, most of the time, you can expressyourtrue opinions. Americanswon't mind if you disagreewith them as long as you show respect for them and their ideas.
Herearesomesuggestions that mayhelpyou makefriends,not enemies,in the U.S.: Don'tbe"nos1;'Americans, like peopleeverywhere, enioy talkingabout themselves. goodmannersas longasonedoesn'taskfor extremely Riendlyinterestis considered personalinformationsuchas age.weight,income,or the cost of valuablepossessions(home,caciewelry,etc.).Askng thesekindsof questionssounds"nosy,"which is an lnsult. It's fine to aska person'sline of work.Thequestion"Whatdo you do?" youroccupation?" means"\Mhat's Nonsmokers Don'tsmoke witlnutpermission. don't wantthe smellor the healthrisksof smoke.In the U.S.,manyoffices,restaurants, secondhand andotherpublicplacesare smoke-freeenvironments.lf you don't seeashtrays,thats probablythe case.Also,
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nonsmokersusuallydon't like their homespollutedwith cigarettesmoke.Smokers who must have a cigaretteor cigar should excusethemselvesand go outside to smoke. c Don'tget tol close. When conversingwith casual acquaintances, Americanstend to than stand closer Asians do and farther apart than people from the Middle East, southern Europe,and Latin America.What differencedoes distancemake?Standing too close may give the impressionof forced intimacy or an attempt to dominate. Standingtoo far awayseemsiormal,aloof, and cold.When in the U.S.,noticethe dis- d;S tances betweenpeople in public sitGtiilns. Keepyour distancefrom otherssimilar to what you observe. r.n ,l ',".'." . Don'ttouch.Exceptfor a brief, firm handshakeas part of an introductionor a fary-ryelt, Americansdon't usuallytouch peoplethey don't know well, so handsoffl o Don'tmakeethnicslun.The U.S.is a multi-ethnic,multi-racialculture,and thereis considerable social interaction among different groups. Don't say anything negative about any ethnic group.Your new friend'sspouseor brother-in-lawmay be a mem: ber of that group. I
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Introductions
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Makingintrodudions (presentingtwo strangersto eachother) is one of the most commonsocialduties.Thereare traditionalrulesfor doing this properly.Whenintroducingpeopleof differentsexes,it's polite to saythe womansnamefirst; for example, "Mrs.Fox,this is my assistant,Mr. Wolf."But if the man is older or famous,then his nameor title should come first: 'Mr. President,I'd like you to meet my sister,Luisa Rivera."Whentwo peopleof the samesexare introduced,the older personis named first:':Grandfather, this is myfriendNarishPatel.Narish,this is mygrandfathelMr.Kim." Appropriate responses to an introductionindude "Hov do you do?"or "lts niceto meetyou" or simply "Hello-"Whenintroducedto a stranger,Americansusuallyshake is not reservedjust for men.Women hands(eachusing the right hand).Handshaking and with other women. Accordingto tradition,thewoman, shake hands-vrith men also person is expectedto extenda handfirst.Today, the older person,or the moreimportant however,this formal rule of etiquette is not alwaysfollowed.The customof handshak and ing is not limited to introductions.In businessor socialsituations,acquaintances when meet friendsmayalsoshakehands they and whentheyconcludea conversation. with a newacquaintance, It At the end of a conversation itb polite to say,"Good-bye. was nice meetingyou."One might also add someappropriateremarkthat wishesthe persona goodtime or goodluck,suchas "Enioyyourvisit to our ci!f' or "Goodluckwith yournewiob." Properformsof addressare often a puule to foreigners.In the U.S.,peoplein the classsamegeneralage group tend to get on a first-namebasisquickly.Coworkers,
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UN|T 1 o Attitudes.Values.and Lifestyles
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mates,and neighborsoften.calleachother by first names.But adultsare likelyto continue to call doctors,lawyers,teachers,religious leaders,and bossesby their titles and last names.Mr. is a title of respectfor a man. lt is pronouncedmister. Missis usedfor a singlewoman. Mn. (pronouncednissus)is the correctform of addressfor a womanwho is married,divorced,or widowed.Howevel some women preferto be addressedas Ms. (pronouncedmiz),a title which does not indicatemarital status.Ms.is also usefulwhen writing or speakingto a woman whose marital status is not known. In addressinga stranger,its customaryto use sir for a man and nissor ma'amfor a woman.lt's rude to cafl a man nisterwithout the last name or a woman lady.The title doctnr {Dr ) is usednot only for medical doctors but also for dentists and people with academicdoctoraldegrees(a Ph.D-).Veryfew titles are used as forms of addresswithout the last name(famify name).Thosethat can be usedalone include Doctnr,Professor, Ot'ficer,Captain, and some titles for religiousleaders(suchas Father or Rabbi).ltisnotcorrectto call a teacherTeacher. In elementaryand high schools,studentsaddresstheirteachersas Mr, Ms.,Miss,or Mn. plus the last name. In Americancollegesand universities,some instructorsand professors are quite informal and encouragestudentsto call them by their first names.
WftenAouintroduce twopeople, whataresme rulesaboutwhose namegoesfirst? Congratulations,
Condolences, and Apologies
In general,it s polite to say"Congratuladons!" (with a lot of enthusiasm)when a person has accomplished something. Examplesof these kinds of occasionsinclude graduation, iob promotion, the birth of a child, and the purchaseof a home. When congratulations are in ordet it is sometimes also appropriate to give a gift, especially when invited to a birthday, graduation, wedding, or anniversaryparty. 10 An invitation may say RSVPon the bottom, an abbreviation that refersto a Frenchexpression meaning "respond, please" (write or phone to tell the host whether you can come). If the invitation says,"RSVPregrets only," it means "respond only if you cannot come." 11 Equal attention must be given to good manners on sad occasions.If a coworkel classmate,or neighbor experiencesa death in the family, it is appropriate to o(press sympathy (condolences). In doing so, the words dieor dutft should be avoided.It is best to simply say, "l was so sorry to hear about your loss" (or ". . . about your father").Its also customary to send a sympathy card, but if you don't know the moume/s religion, be sure to select a card without religious symbols. Most customs regardingmouming relate to the familfs religion and vary from one group to another, so don't send flowers or food unless you know it's appropriate. 12 The simple words "l'm sor4/' display good manners in a great many difficult social situations. "l'm sorry" has two main uses: ( l) to express sympathy to someone who has had a bad experienceand (2) to expressregretfor bothering someoneor causinga problem. Other expressionsof apology are "Excuseme" and "Pardon me." Use one of these 9
CHAPTER 4 o AmericanEtiquette
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expressionswhen you are trying to get out of a crowdedelevatoror stoppinga stranger to askdirections.
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Dining Etiquette
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When invited to an Americanfriend'shome for dinner,try to arriveon time, but not early.It'sokayto be l0 or l5 minuteslate but not 45 minuteslate.Dinnermightbe over' cookedand ruined by then. lf you are going to be late, it is a good idea to call the host to tell him. Whenyou go to someone'shome for a meal,it's customaryto bringa small gift, suchas flowersor candy. What do you do if you'reservedfood you don't like or can't eat for religiousor medical reasons?In situations like these, eat whateveryou can and hope that no one notices what is left. lf questioned,admit that you don't eat meat (or whatever),but saythat you'veenjoyedthe other foods and havehad "more than enough"to eat. How long should you stay?Don't leaveimmediatelyafter dinnet but don't overstay your welcome, either. When your host yawns or runs out of conversation.thats a good time to leave.The next day, phone or write to expressyour thanks again. Dining out? It's a good idea to phone the restaurantand make a reservationto avoid waiting for a table.When you invite someoneout to dinnel be preparedto pay the bill and reach for it when it anives. However,if your companion insists on sharing the bill, don't get into an argument about it. In most American restaurants,a tip for the server {waiter or waitress) is not added to the bill. The word tip is an acronym for "to insure promptness." If the servicewas good, leave a tip equal to about l5"A of the bill. In expensive restaurants,leave a little more. American table manners are easy to learn by observation. A few characteristicsto note: The napkin should not be tucked into the collar or vest but should be placed across the lap; the siherware placement is quite different from the European style. In general,Americans use the pieces of silverwarefarthest from the plate first and work in toward the plate.
I
Whatare twotftingsgousftoulilno!dowftengouarea ilinnerguestat anAmeriun
Mannet's between Men and Women 18
ln the 1960sand 1970s,the U.S.went through a social revolution commonly refened to as the women's liberation movement. The movement has benefited women in many ways,especiallyin terms of iob opportunities and advancement.But it has also created
UNIT1 . Attitudes, Values,and Lifestyles
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great confusion regardingmanners.Formerly,men were consideredthe strongerand dominant sex,so etiquette requiredthem to adopt a protectiveattitude toward the socalledweakersex.Thatmeanthelpingwomenon and off with theircoats,openingdoors for them, allowing them to exit from elevatorsfirst, and so on. Today,Americanwomen, who outlive (and often outearn)men, do not considerthemselvesweakand in needof attitudehasled men to wonderwhethertraditional maleprotection.Theirself-sufficient etiquette is still appropriate.Most men continue to perform many of the traditional courtesies,but both sexesare more casualabout them. lf a man does not help his date into and out of her chair in a restaurant,no one will think he'srude. Traditionally,when a man invites a woman out on a date, he picks her up at home, 19 paysthe expensesfor the evening,and takesher home at the end ofthe evening.Prior to women'sliberation, the woman was expectedto sit at home by the phone and wait for the man to call. Today,it is common for a woman to invite a man just about anyWhen a man and where.lf she does the inviting,she paysfor the evening'sexpenses. womanwho are just friendsgo out togetherit is usuallyDutchtreat,which meansthey shareexpenses. Today,many men workingin the U.S.havea femaleboss.Men who come from countries in which the woman'splace is still in the home may find it difficult to take orders trUma woman. But in the U.S.,many women are iudges,doctors,businessexecutives, collegepresidents,and entrepreneurs.Men must show respectfor a personwho holds a position of responsibilityand authority,whether that person is male or female. 21 On the iob, it is important to treat others as coworkers,not as prospectiveromantic partners.Many sexualharassment lawsuitshave been won in the U.S.,so many companiesmention this matter as part of their training for new employees.
thesexes? mannersbetween liberationaffected Howhaswomen's Classroom Etiquette Therelationshipbetweenstudent and teacheris lessformal in the U.S.than in many other countries, especiallyat the college level.American college students do not stand up when their teacher enters the room. Students are generallyencouragedto ask questions during class,stop by the professot'soffice, phone, or e-mail if they want to discuss something. Most teachers let students enter class late or leave early when necessry. Despite the lack of formality, students are still expectedto be polite and considerate 23 of their teacherand classmates.When students want to ask questions,they usually raise a hand and wait to be called on.'But if a professor is giving a lecture, that is the wrong time to interrupt with a question. When the teacherora student is speakingto the class, its rude to begin whispering to another classmate.When a test is being given, talking to a classmate is not only rude but also risky.Most American teachersassumethat students who are talking to each other during a test are cheating.The result may be a test grade of zero. 22
4 . AmericanEtiquette CHAPTER
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can do and shouldn'tdo in an Americanclassroom. Com$ehsnslonNamesomethinqs students Language 24
Etiquette
Americansare usually tolerant of nonnativespeakerswho havetrouble understanding English. But they become a little annoyedwhen a person does somethingincorrectlybecauseof misunderstandingwhat wassaid. No one wantssoapwhen he askedfor So if you don't understandwhat is said to you, politely askthe personto repeator soup.
explain. Forthe confusednonnativeEnglishspeaker,there are severalwaysto askfor help,for 25 example,"Couldyou pleaserepeatthat?"or "Wouldyou pleasespeakmore slowly?"lf a mean?"To find out how to exdefinition is needed,ask "What does the word "How in English?" do you saypressa particularidea in English,ask part of your Englishvomust be that polite expressions English more a few Here are 26 "Thank you." (A smile and a nod are is a compliment cabulary.The polite responseto "You're "Thank If someone welcome." you" is, of course, not enough ) The responseto "Fine, asks "How are you?" don't start tt,lking about your medical problems. lust say, Believeit or not, thanks.How are you?"What do Americanssaywhen someonesneezes? "Bless you." they say "God blessyou" or simply One final point: When in a group,it is quite rude to conversein a languagethat some of the people cannot understand.Thosewho don't speakthe languagewill feel left out. lf it becomes necessaryto switch to a languagethat not everyonepresent understands, then it's polite to translateor summarizewhat was said. This short reviewof good mannersin the U.S.A.will help you be polite in English. 28 And that will encourageAmerican friends to be polite to you.
Arrrn You ReRo l. Getting the Message A. Discussor write answersto theseguestionson a separatepieceof paper.Writecomplete sentences.Rereadthe paragraphsindicatedif you needhelp. 1. What are three questions that a casualacquaintanceshould notask an American? (a) 2. When should you send a s5rmpathycard to a friend? (11) 3. What are two thin$s you should notdo in an American classroom?(S, 23) 4. What three thinglsshould you do when invited to an American friend's home for dinner? (13, 15)
UNIT 1 o Attitudes, Values,and Lifestyles
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5. Has women's liberation madelife better or worse for women? What doesthe readingimply? (18-21) Check(/) thecorrectanswer. in the followingsltuations? B. Whatare the pohteresponses 1. Your friend says, "I missed classbecausemy grandfather died-" What do you say?
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"I'm so sorrlr." "How did he die?"
2. Your friend says, "I bought a new car a few weeks a$o-" What do you say? a. "How much did it cost?" "What kind of car?" @ 3. Your friend asks, "How are you?" What do you say? a. "I have a headache,but I just took an aspirin, so I'm hopin$ to feel better soon." "Fing thanks. How are You?" @ elevator is crowded, and you're standing in the back when it arrives at your 4. T;i11e floor- What do you say? over. I have to $et out." a. -"Move "Excuse mg please. This is my floor." l@' -
5. Your friend tells you your sweateris very attractive. What do you say? "Thank you." \a.l "Do you really like this old thinf'
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6. Your friend introduces you to his sister.What do you say? "It's nice meetin6fYou." ,@ L "It was nice meetin$You."
ll. BuildingYour Vocabulary in ffie wordsfor thischapter.Theyare boldfaced A. Iheseare the15 keyvocabulary your meanings. their discuss teacher and after words these Pronounce read6. acquaintance address* appropriate assertive behavior
compliment* condolencest congratulationst etiquette harassment
insult* manners* polite rude silverware
"These words can be used as nouns or verbs. are always plural' tCongrautations and cond'olztuces *Manners is plural when it refers to social behavior or etiquette.
4 . AmericanEtiquette CHAPTER
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wordson page43. with someof the keyvocabulary B. Completethesesentence.s add-*tV$ 1. Titles suchas Mr.,Dr,or Mrs.are polite forms of u&'a to the family. 2. Whensomeonedies,you should expressyour 0tcqcL.Ffu * v 3. When a couplegetsengaged,it is polite to say Ut'Ahfbd 4. Americansbelievepeopleshouldnot be afraid to ask for the things they want. In other words, peopleshouldbe a{&tF"tk-' 5. Four uncountablenouns in this vocabularylist are
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lll. SharpeningReadingSkills Pronouns Pronouns generaTlyrefer to a noun that appearedeariier in the sentence or in the precedingsentence.Rememberthat glerundsand infinitives are alsonouns, so pronouns canreferback to ttrem. Examples This cake is delicious. I love it. (Itreferc to the no:uncake.) We enjoy swimming, and we're food at it. (Itrefers to the gerund swimming.) or a Writethe nounthat eachof thefollowingpronounsrefersto. lt maybe an infinrfive gerund. ^ -'" ;l 1. In paragraph3, the last sentence,what does them rcfet to? 64"'r'lv' u 2. lnparagfraph5, sentenceZ,whatdoes thisrefer to? ih,Attrd*;{""** \ 3. In paragraph18, sentence ,what doesthem refer to? ^la^ to? W'I"'*6'* doesh'er refer 1, what 19 sentence Tnparagraph 4.
UNIT 1 . Attitudes, Values,and Lifestyles
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lV. Understandingldioinsand Expressions Matcheach expressionin column1 with the phrasein column2 that meansthe samething by writingthe correct numberson the lines.Thenumbersin parentheses give theparagraphs in whichthe expressrbns are used. l. go Dutch treat (19) 2. go thro'rgfirsomething (18)
What's your occupation?
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3. Hands otr! ( ) ---.-'-- .-.,"'. }:-".'*. (4y =++ie 4. keepyourdistance a harmless untmth 5. overstayyour welcode (tS) ' don't get too close ,,,y'. . "\j \ Don't touch. 6. run out of something\ffS).*i i -\ -4" - :17. a white lie (3) -*share expenses ji r i, 'ut' use sometJringall up 8. What do you do?(a) experience teuw something (often DvusururE, \uI L(,II "'.*.s+- v^Per '' difficult) .something
e. W hatif...?(14).
V. TakingWords Apart A. Verb or Noun Writein theconectword formstg gompletefte sentences.Whenthe wordis a verb,usethe conecttense,..,-, . 1. That child doesn'tknowhow to
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terrible. (belu.ve/ beluvi.or) him on his mariage? (conqratulate/ congratulations) me on the goocljob I drd. (complimnnt/
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Theprefixmis-meanswrong(ly) or bad(ly). of fiese words: )ltlritethemeanings 1. tnisunderstand:
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CHAPTER 4. American Etiquette
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Vl. Practicing SentencePatterns
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Becausethis chapter gives advice to the reader, many Sentences tmperative sentences are written in the imperative. The subject (you) is not in the sentence; it is understood. Here are two examples of imperative statements:
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Imperative. affirmative: Arrive on timeImperative. negative: Don't arrive late. Nowwrtte imperativesentencesgiving advice to someonegoing to visityour country'
1. Affirmative: 2. Negative:
Vll. Sharing ldeas A. lssues Debatetheseissuesin smallgroups.Ihenchooseoneand writeaboutit. 1. You have a new job in a nice office. However, an assistantat a nearby desk eatsa sandwich with a lot of onion in it every day. The smellbothers you all afternoon. What is the best thing to do about this problem? Consider these possibilities: (a) complain to the bossand ask for a different desk; (b) ask the assistantto stop eating at his desk; (c) tell the otheqworkers in the office and 'hope'thatyour complaint will getback to the assistang(d) buy an air-freshener spray anduse it every day after lunch; (e) suffer in silence. 2. Whatdifferences have you noticed between American rnanners and European or Asian manners? B. On a Personal Note Wr'rteaboutoneof ftese toPics. 1. Tell about a time when you were enbarrassedbecauseyotre'aliznd that you had done something socially improper2. Reada chapter in an Americanbook on etiquette and zummarize it. (Some famous authors in this field are Enily Pos! Amy Vanderbilg and futitia Baldrige.) 3. What do yoo like about American marmers?what do you dislike?
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UNIT 1 . Attitudes, Values,and Lifestyles
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pie with cheese -
pie with ice ctearn
What Americans Consulne American Meals and Snacks t
Threesquaremealsa day-that's a commondescriptionof Americaneatinghabits. But,in reality,most Americansadd between-meal snacksand haveeithera "bite"or a mealabout five times a day.Themealthat breaksthe ovemightfast is, of course,breakf"tt. It s a mealthat manyadultsskip,eitherbecausethey'rein a hu1ryor on a diet.Oth| ^ . q2A t^Aro'ers haveiust orangeiuice o_rtoast alongwith the traditional wake.uplerc:Ege-coffee. But.so{ne.!99Ple,gdd loa or cold ce-realor eggs.ojher RoR, ular breaHastitemsarepan' cakes;waffles;and French (bread toast soaked in a mixtuieof eggsandmilk and fried), et n*'14fl. oftenservedwith,{ggle_syrup.--; _:::: .=,:.:... '.'-:i :."'': 'r4"; " t2 Peoplewho skip breaKastoften'snacka few hoursafter they get up. In the midmoming,manyoffice and factoryworkersare givena l0- to l5-minute'toffee breaK fromthe iob to relaxand chatwith cbworkers. Not surprisingly,manyhavea cupof cof-. feeandmaybea@gh4!+toqg1rkinto r'i{ y-rr5.r.'-,q, it. :' l' -;ndrer -, ,! / 3 Most Americanseat lunch betweentioon and two olclock lt's rare for workersto go ^ for lunch,and manyCchoolchildiineat atb'chool.Somepeoplebrown-bagil-that ';r*r,t.!*li!r'*'t*-home i ' is, theybring food from home,often in a brournpaperbag.rorthis'br;ffi;rfhe sandwich is ideal.The sandwichchef needsonly two piecesof bread,something.molstto r^*14* smearonthe bread(suchas butter,mayonnaise, mustard,or ketchup),and something to put in the middle.Somepopularcold sandwiches are ham and cheese,peanutbutter and ielly,slicedchicken,and tuna salad. 4 In restaurants,peopleoften orderhot sandwiches. .'r The most popularare hamburgcri \,\'!"1.ers and hot dogs. Hamburgersare pgtti.esof choppedbeel usuallysewedin round -, bgllg.Hot dogs(alsocalledred hots,franKurters,or wieners)are 5- to 7-inchsausages ., ,1t'i t servedin long, thin buns.Theterm frotdogdatesbackto 1900and was inspiredby an Americanvendorwhocomparedthe frankfurtertothe long-bodiedGermandog.Hishot dachshundsausages eventuallygot shortenedto hotdogs. To accompanythe sandwich, a hungrydiner mightadd a bowlof soup,a salad,french-friedpotatoesor potatochips, and a sweetdessertor fruit.
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In the U.S.'peoplein d hurrycan eat lunch quickly,but those who want a leisurely meal can find that. too. In a coffeeshop,the diner rvhomust "eatand run"can usually find an empty stool at a counterwithin 5 minutes.Fast-foodrestaurants(wherecus, tomersstand in line,orderfood,and get it in about 2 minutes)alsodo a lot of business at.lunshtirne.Another timesaveris the cafeteria, where customerswalk by displaysof 'j.*.,'"j11,*'{food,placewhat they want on their trays,and then pay a cashierat the end of the line. Largeinstitutions such as factories,hospitals,and schoolsoften havecafeterias.Some institutionsalso havefood-dispensing machinesfrom which customerscan purchase soup, sandwiches,drinks, fruit, and sweets.Microwaveovens for heatingthe food are set up nearthesemachines.on the otherhand,at traditionalrestaurants, dinerssometimes combinebusinessand pleasureat a businessluncheon,whereworkis discussed o,to"r o ,,{o overcocktailsand a nicelyserved,leisurelymeal. 6 In the mid-afternoon,snacktime comesagain.Officeand factoryworkersmaytakea secondcoffeebreak.Childrencoming home from school usually head for the refrigerator. ln warm weather,ice cream is a popular snack.lt's consumed in cones,bars,and sundaes(with a sweetsauceon top). lt is also used in two populardrinks,milk shakes and ice cream sodas. 7 For Americans,the biggest meal of the day is dinnel usually servedat about six o'clock on weekdays.Dinner may include severalcourses:an appetizer(suchas fresh fruit, fruit iuice,or a small portion of fish);Soup;salad;an entr6e (main course)of meat, poultry, or fish; and side dishes such as cooked vegetables,rice, or noodles. Coffeeor . tea and dessert finish off the meal. Most Americans prefer a sweet dessertsuch as cake, ^\'r't* !1',,o pie, or ice cream.Apple pie, servedhot with a -s_ggqp of ice cream (h la mode) or with a slice of cheese,is a national favorite, hencettre expiession '?s American as apple pie.,' Most Americans don't eat all these ccurses for dinner every evening. tn fact, many restaurantsoffer the option of ordering these courses separately,or D la carte, for people who want to eat a little less. 8 with lunch and dinner, Americansdrink water, fruit iuice, coffee,tea, or a carbonated drink called sodaor pop.(The term used depends on the region of the country.)Though childrenare urged to drink milk with everymeal, many prefer soda or iuice instead. 9 Since dinner is usually servedearly in the evening,an evening snackis customary. Children may have milk and cookies.Adults may nibble on fruit, sweets,or leftovers. 10 on weekendsand holidays,the meal schedulemayvary.On Saturdayevenings, many people eat dinner at seven or even eight o'clock, especially when dining out. On Sundays,many families have brunch,a meal that combines breakfastand lunch. It is usually served between I l:00 e.r'l.and 2:00 p.u. and includes typical breaKast foods plus cheese.cake,and perhaps casseroledishes and cold fish. Families who go to church on Sunday moming may have breakfastbefore servicesand then eat their biggest meal of the day at about two o'clock. The main meal of the day is always called dinner,no matter what time it is served. When dinner is eaten in mid-aftemoon, a smaller evening meal called supperis servedaround sevenorclock. 1'l On Sundaysand holidays when the weather is warm, Americans like to eat outdoors. They enioy picnics in parksor backyard'barbecues featuring charcoal-broiledsteaks,hot dogs, or hamburgers.Another popular outdoor meal is the clambake,a picnic at the seashore,at which clams and other shetlfishare bakedon hot stones under seaweed. 5
CHAPTER 5 . What AmericansConsume
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mealtimecan be an importantsocialevent.ln manyhomes, ln the U.S.as elsewhere, dinner may be the only time when everyonein the familygets togetherand sharesthe Diningout is also an importantpart of Americansociallife Forsinday'sexperiences. gle men and women. datesoften begin with dinner at a nice restaurant.Marriedcouples often get togetherwith friendsto eat out, especiallyon weekends.ln their desireto use time efficiently,Americansmay rush through breakfastand lunch,but dinner (especiallyon weekends)is usuallya more leisurelymealat whichenioymentof food is enhancedby pleasantconversation.
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andtellat whattimeof day they'reeaten. meals, Compnehsnsion NameftveAmerican
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Easy Does It! Being an Americanhomemakeris easiernow than ever before.Today'sfamilyshopfind nearlyeverythingthe per can go to iust one store-the nearbysupermarket----and sell paper goods, supermarkets food beverages, to and ln addition needs. household tobacco medications, over-the-counter cosmetics, cleaningsupplies,cookingutensils, plants, and so on. Many are open until products,pet products,books and magazines, 10:00p.u.or later. Some are even open 24 hours a day! .t4 Not only is shoppingquickerand easierthan everbefore;cookingis, too. Manyfoods can be bought partly or wholly prepared.A great variety of soups and saucescome in cans or in small packages.The cook iust adds water, heats, and serves.Other timesavers include mixes for making mashed potatoes, pancakes,cookies,and cakes.To these, the cook adds lust two or three ingredients-usually butter, milk, and eggs.Thereare also cocoa, lemonade, and many others-that can be made iust instant beverages---coffee, by adding water. Many frozenfoods are precooked and need only to be heated.A food processorinstantlyturns a bunch of apples into apple iuice. A microwaveolen can cook a turkey in a few hours. Cleanup is speedy,too, for those with an automatic dishwasher and a garbagedisposal. The ultimate in easy eating is, of coursq.eating out. Americans eat out quite a bit. t5 , , About one-third of the food Americans consume is eaten away from home. Eating out . ,. is on the rise. In 1986,Americansspent about one-third of their food budget on eating . out; today, the figure is 40%,and its expectedto go even higher. Nutritionists say that so much eating out has had a bad effect upon the American diet. Peopletend to eat more and to choose less healthy food when dining in a restaurant13
Americanrestaurantsrangefrom inexpensivefast-food placesto expensive,formal onesthat serveattractivelypreparedfood in an elegantsetting.Most fast-foodrestau* rants are franchises-individuallyownedbusinessesfollowingstrict guidelinesfrom Fast-foodfranchiseshavebeenverysuccessiulin the company'scentralmanagement. i;i,rrpart ol '-hir.l.'-,rr predictability. At ttremaiorhamburger of the appealis the the U.S. it. buy they going wherever to tastelike, chises,peopleknowwhatthe food is Carry-outmealsare handyfor workingadultswith no time to shopancllnoir lllli:r: 17
16
UNIT1 . Attitudes. Values,and Lifestyles
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restaurantsprepareonly carry-outfood: many others servediners in the restaurantbut also pack up mealsfor carry-outcustomersand those who phone or fax in an order for delivery.Fast-foodplacesand ethnic restaurantsboth do a big carry-outbusiness. 18 Sometimesthe Americandiner also carrieshome food after eating in a restaurant.ln most restaurants,portions are generous.lf a customercan't eat all that's served,especially in an informal restaurant,it's quite appropriateto ask the serverto pack up the leftovers.Sometimesthe serverwill offerto do this without evenbeingasked.yearsago, a take-homepackagelike this was put into a "doggiebag."Today,everyoneopenly admits that the food is for human consumption-probably for the next day'slunch.
Z ,i;* *no iCom[rGhGnslon Whg is it easyfor an Americanfamily to preparedinner?
Variety-?he
Spice of Life
19
For Americansseekinga dining adventureand for immigrants seekingtheir native cuisine, ethnic dining is tlre answer.The most videspread of the ethnic cuisinesare probablyChinese,Italian,and Mexican.But that is iust the tip of the iceberg.In New York,Chicago,and many other maior Americancities, the rangeof ethnic dining goes, if not from Ato Z, at least from A to Y--Arabian, Armenian, Cuban, Ethiopian, Greek, Indian,fapanese,Korean,Persian,Peruvian,Russian,Thai,Ttrrkish,Vietnamese,and yugoslavian,among many other cooking styles. 20 Ethnic influences add variety to home-cooked meals, too. tngredients for the more popular ethnic dishes are readily available in most supermarkets.Less well-known ingredientscan be obtainedat food stores in ethnic communities.The U.S.is commonly x&\.*'tfrr"^"{' called a rng!!!g lgt of people from everywhere.Therefore,it is not surprisingthat American cooking pots contain ingredients from all over the world. 21 Regional American food specialties add further variety to the American diet. From New Englandcome wonderful seafoodchowders (usually clams or lobsters stewedwith vegetablesand milk), baked beans, brown breads, and Boston cream pie. Southemers have created fried chicken, smoked ham, grits {a side dish made with com meal and milk), and fritters (small fried cakesoften containing fruit). New Orleans is famous for spicy Creole cooking, which mmbines French,Spanish, African-American,and Native American cuisine. 22 Becauseof the nation's varied climate and geography,a great variety of fruits and vegetablesare grown in the U.S.and many more are imported. High-quality fruits and vegetables are available throughout the year, thanks to modem transportation and freezingtechniques.
Whataretworeasons wftyAmericanmealsaresovarieil?
CHAPTER5 . What AmericansConsume
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Death
by Consumption
plenty of tasty, nutritious food is available in the U.S.\'et many Americanseat (or drink) themselvesinto an earlygrave.Nutritionistssay that Americanseat too much unhealthy fat, salt, and sugar.In recent years,Americanshave become awareof the fact that a person'sdiet affects appearance,performance,mental state, health, and longevity.As a result, many Americanstry to eat more fruits, vegetables,and healthier source: of protein (suchas fish, grains,and poultry). Many havecut down on products high in fat. Still, 337"ofAmericansare somewhatoverweightand another 22"Aareobese (extremelyoverweight).In the U.S.,cans,iars, and paper packagescontain information regardinga food'singredientsas well asthe caloriecountand amountsof sodium(salt), espe, fat, and importantvitaminsin each serving.This informationhelpsconsumers, weight. lose need to ciallythoseon specialdietsor thosewho "Everythingenloyablein life is either illegal,immoral,or fattening,"complainthose 24 who are ovenveight.The American food industry has respondedto this complaint.A wide assortmentof Americanfoodsare madewith artificial sweetenersinsteadof sugar. Thereare also low-fat and fat-freefoods and some made with healthiertypesof fat or fat substitutes. Health and social problemsare also createdby consumptionof alcoholicbeverages, 25 cigarettes,and illegaldrugs.About 5.4%of Americansare heavydrinkers.Thosewho engage in heavy drinking damage their own health, cause pain to their families, and are dangerousbehind the wheel of an automobile.In recentyears,manycitizens'organizations have campaignedto keepthe roads safer by increasingpenalties for drunk driving. Another way that Americans consume themselvesto death is by smoking cigarettes. 26 About 29"6of Americanadults smoke.The medical e;penses and human tragedycaused by this habit are immeasurableand well known. Unfortunately,the tobacco industry has a lot of political power. Therefore,although the govemment urges smokersto quit, it also pays farmers to grow tobacco. In recent years, the American tobacco industry has been sued for billions of dollars becauseof the illnesses its products cause. One of the greatest concernstoday is the large amount of illegal drugs consumedin the U.S.,especiallyby teenagersand young adults. Mariiuana usage,for example,is highest among the l&-25 age group, with about 12%of people in this group smoking .weed." The use of illegal drugs damages the body and also leads to an increase in crime. Many people who get hooked on laddicted to) cocaine or heroin are then forced to commit crimes in order to get enough money to buy these illegal (and thereforeex23
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pensive) substances. In dealing with these health problems--obesity, alcoholism, cigarette smoking,and drug addicdon-Americans often tum to support groups of fellow sufferers.Groups such as Weight Watchers, Alcoholics Anonymous. and Narcotics Anonymous have hetped people overcome destructive behavior. With the assistance of professional counselors and the support of a group, Americanswork hard to rid themselvesof dangeroushabits. At the other end of the health spectrum are people with great self-control.Theyavoid 29 high-fat and high-salt foods. In addition, they worry about chemicals added to food. Thereare three common sourcesof thesechemicals:(1) pesticidessprayedon plantsto keep insects away,(2) additives used in some packagedfoods to improve appearance
UNIT 1 . Attitudes, Values,and Lifestyles
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and lengthenshelf life,and (3.),drugs fed to beefcattie to improvethe quantityand taste of meat.Are thesechemicalsharmfulto human beings?Thosewho believethey are read labels carefully,buy organic food, and shop in health food stores.Defendersof these chemicalssaythat the quantitiesusedare too small to be harmfuland that discontinuing their use would meansmallerharvests,lessprime beef,fasterfood spoilage,and higher food prices. In the 1960s,people who were afraid of the typical Americandiet were called health food "nuts."Today,Americansrealizethat these people have had a good influence.As a resultof the health food movement,manyAmericansconsiderthe greatvarietyof good things to eat and makewiser selections.
Arrrn You Rrao l. Getting the Message A. Answertheseguestionsw'ttha fewwords.Youdon't needto write complete sentences. indicatedin parentheses Rereadtheparagraphs if you needhelp. qi e(a.l{i* 1. What are two common breakfastbeverages?(t) t u'"r-^"' l{
lJ't I f**' 2. Whatdo Americans eat forlunch? (3-4)
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3. What are two placeswhere you can eat lunch quicHy? (5) p^ul .hr.tJ
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4. Which meal is bigger-dinner or supper?(10)
5. What are two timesaversthat Americans can use when preparing mealp?(1a) Fti rr)'+Varx* f ?l."r *,r-*^-- , *-,.t , p,e rp* , f*-+d "'r+"qB 6. Would you go,to an ethnic restaurant for a hot dog or har:fturger? (19) -'
[J *. I 1{e,+7. What two common food ingredienb are unhealthy if eaten in large quantities?
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a factandanopinion.Then,after considering between the B. Discussthe difference (AL fact(Flor opinion in thischapter, markeachstatement informafron A
N
l. American food isn'thealthy.
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Z. Manyharmful chemicalsare addedto American foods. g. The use of illegal drugs causesan increasein crime.
A
E. Addictive drugs shouldbe legahredin the U.S. 5. Americans eat too many snacks. isbadfor aperson's health., 6. Smokingcigarettes
.. (continwd on the next page)
CHAPTER 5 . What AmericansConsume
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{ 7. Restaurant food is not as healthv as home-cooked food. * "1'
8. When Americans eat out, they tend to eat too much and choose less healthy food than they ordinarily have at home.
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ll. BuildingYour Vocabulary A. Iheseare the 15 keyvocabulary wordsfor this chapter.Theyare botdfaced in the reading.Pronounce thesewordsafteryour teacher,anddrscusstheirmeanings. u.addiction ,$' artificial P avoid beverage f cafeteia
nutritious r*obese picnic gslice* snack*
Pconsume B cuisine franchise* a ingredient leftovers
B. Complete thesesentenceswith someof the keyvocabulary words.Makethe nounsplural , tf necessary, and puteachverb intothecorrecttenseandform. *. ,/ ,,' .-1o,.v1' ,"-{i, , 1. A person who is overweight should a'tov-Q with a lot of ""{rrg[oa '\-'l sugarand fat.
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2. Forbrealdast somepeoplehave two I l.r r_\
have a piece (or
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) of pie. (Use the same word for both
answers.) 3.
is a liquid ttrat a person can drink.
4. In a(n) 5. Ethnic
customersdon't tipbecause they servethemselves. tiFt"^--
refers to the cooking style of a particutar culture or
group ofpeople. 6. If shopperswant to know what's in a particular food, they can read the list of r lr ,' !!I ' \{ 4 ft Fr '-{-tu on the box, packaggjar, or can. 7.
*::l,,{*l';
people are more than a little overweig[rr They are exhemely
overweigftt 8. Consumrrsale people who buy and use products. \Mhen people eat food, they [rfv\]1l.l."*L
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9. Peoplecan developa(n)
o nid;d ir ^
to cigarettes, @ff@, alcohol, or
@carne.
10.
sweetenersdon't have any calories,but sugardoes.
*Th€se words can be used as nouns or verbs.
UNIT 1 o Attitudes, Values,and Lifestyles
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C. Homonyms are wordsthat soundalikebut havedifferentmeanings and spetlings. Underline thewordsto completethe sentences below.Llsea dictionaryif you needhelp. Erample I want (ta / too) have (some/ sum) coffee. 1. Americansliketoeat (theg're/tlu1J)lunchesquicHybecause (tbsUre/their) often in a hurry. 2. r-et's (bu/buil
some(meat/ meef andthen (mzat / Wd Qg /bug) the cashier. 3. Every (Sun"dag / sundne),I eat a chocolate(Sundag/ srula^e)for dessert. 4. cooking styles (rru_/ rt il a greatdeal in the u.s., so eating American food is (varg / vg) interesting. 5. It's (to / tgp).latefor breakfast and (to / tgo)early for lunch, but the (too/ tw-o)of us could go (!o-/ too) a restaurant and havebrunch.
lll. SharpeningReadingSkills A. Topic Sentences Most paragraphscontain atopit senteruethatstatesthe main idea. Ttre topic sentenceis the most important sentencein the paragraph.It tells what the rest of the paragraphis about. The other senten@sgive details that support the main idea. Rereadtheparagraphsliste4 and lookfor the topic sentence.Thenwrite the first twowords of the topicse;ltenceon the lineafter theparagraphnumber.
Example (5)
t4 the
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(rs)
B. General and Specific Theunderlined wordsare generalcategories. Threeof thefourwordsin thelinesthatfoltow referto spectficitemsof thatcategory. Drawa tinethroughthewordtlratdoesn'tbelong in that category. Erample Poultrv -'? i
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chicken
BeveraAes Dairy products Desserts Meals Entr6es Produce Bakery Hoods
duck juice cheese €Sgs" dinner chicken apples bread
turkey
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water milk cake .diner-* -cereats* lettuce -eaady
milk shake "fr+rit pie brunch salmon -bs@ad cake
€pels* butter ice cream supper steak carrots cookies
CHAPTER 5 r WhatAmerkansConsume
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lV. Understandingldioms and Expressions Thenumbersin paierihes*s i::ivethe expressions. of the foltowing A. Djscussthe meanings are used' paragraphs in whichtheseexpressions into an eatlY grave(23) meltin$ pot (20) the tip of the iceberg(19) three squaremeals a daY (1) Varietyls the spice of life. (heading aboveparagraph i9J ir' l';:rtriiheses listed.Thenumheis: with oneof the expressions B. Completeeachsentence used' are in whichtheseexpressions give the paragraphs \
l'13) 3 ovel-iiir 'tt:'li:i';"
coffeebreak (2)
abite (1)
( gethooked(27) "t shelftife (29) ) t-*":rug i, (s) (29) )r"" try-out (17) F nut t :ii i::i;. for shop coffee this in stop let,s movie, --g-gk:-** the A-fter t. tlrr*-*
Z. Forlunch, do you tim+ru,-4n'? i( , order
CeflV ' fi",,.,jj.-fcrorl'or g{!.}ilt to
eaf.? it Jna: medication.I can buy it without ta; ''-t : 3. This is a(n) EXr-S_ 4. I can keep this medicine for 2 years.It has alonlrr*-\ tttv Y t dt 5. If you start smokinli cigarettes,you might
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6. He calls me a heatrthfood
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V. Taking Words APart A. Accent Marks in English accentmark language, becomepartof theEnglish language wordsfrom another Sometrmes cJ;.li:$5r '"r"'';'r':fi F;en themafteryourteacher" Pronounce ,ii iu. ii* ire lvee examples. theirmeanings. 1. enfrde: 2. alaeartr;. 3. ilamode:
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UNIT1 o Attitudes, Values,and tifestyle!
B. Adjectives to Nouns 1. Writethenounformfor eachadjectivelisted.Usea dictionaryif you needhelp.Then pronounce thewordpairsafteryour teacher. Erample pleasant 1' crowded
2. healthy
?leaeure c'{-auufi-
t.
-{"i'AJ}tt
3. imoortant
)r,*'1",*',:[rn"'^*'
6. spicy hq't't'(- ,."UtO@
4. nutritio,r,
t*;h'ift rx-
8. varied r/'dl'n'q$q
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a. adjective, o;-aw&rt b.noun:
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Commas in a Series The last tqzosentencesin paragraph 3 and the last sentence in paragraph4 illustrate the correct placement of commasin punctuating a series. When there are three or more items in the series,each item should be separatedwith a entnrna.The word and. shouldbe placedbefore the last item in the series. 1. Addcommasplusthe word andwheretheyare neededtn thrsCfntence; I put melted cheeseon mybaked potato,my french fib3host cookedvegetables. 2. Nowwritea sentencelisttngthreefoodsyou had for dinnerlast night.Usecommaswhere needed.
Vll. Sharingldeas A. lssues Debatefrese issuesin smallgroups.Ihen chooseoneand write aboutiL 1. Somepeople a4lue that health-consciousAmericans have taken all the fun out of eating. Has Americans' concenl about calories and cholesterolturned food into an enemy to be fearedand avoided?Does this attitude decrease&e quality of their lives? Or are theybetter offbecause healthy eating probably increasestheir life span?
CHAPTER5 o What AmericansConsume
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' 'i}is 2. A common American-expressionis "You can never be too rici.ror ilo il;i;, sentiment speaks especiaily to American women. Those who want to look glamorous must count calories carefully and often deny themseh'esthc fnrid they l,','i,i.:.i:iiI be want. Do you a$reewith the saying "tle thinner, the better"l i',irl;'i .l thin to be beautiful? 3. Should cigarettes be made illegal? Or should people have the frcr',tt",,; i., i.rir-r''rnd use this product if theY want to? B. On a Personal Note Write aboutone of these topics. 1. Do you have a healthy diet? Discuss whlr or why not' mealsin OthercOuntrieswith American meal:. i'r ::ri'i' ::r";r;''-rlrl 1 2. C,Ompare ' i'' people eat, what they eat, and how much they eat at varii"' ' '' ' Which eating habits do you ptefer? Why? 3. C,omparetwo similar packagedfood products (for exampie.i'rrlrlr' :i;;,:i!1iti:'.i.:i l ri;':'rlr;i,:'r.-:r or two brands of vegetablesoup). Check the ingredie:--:1i. ',i r:.r.-:-..', i.'::Ete: trr: Whii:}i is hea.lthier? and the sodium (salt) and fat content. Which better? which one will you buy the next time you 51rir;i';ririrrry
UN{T1 o Attitudes, Values,and Lifestyles
A Nation of rants
Mother and soo immigrantsfrom Guatemala
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BrroneYou Rrno Discuss 1. What is an immigrant? What is a refugee?Are all immigrants refugeesor vice versa? 2. Whatis an alien in the U.S-?What is an alien in a sciencefiction story? What is the difference between a legal alien and an illegal alien? 3. In your opinion, what are the main reasonswhy people immigrate?
g
Guess Thentookfor the answersin thereading. Tryto answerthe questions. 1. Approximately what perc/Jntageof the u.S. population is foreign-born? Check (/)
one:
loo/o -2oo/o 5o/o (/) 2. About how many illegal aliens currently live in the U.S'? Check
cne:
3million -6million from any 3. More Americans say that ttreir ancestorscamefrom this country than other. Check ({) one: l million
Engfand -ItalY
-
Germany
A Nation of ltnrnigrants t
i
the Betweenl82l and 1997,about64 million lmmigpantscameto the U'S'A'It was A Nation largestmigrationthe humanracehad everknown.Whatcausedit? In his book 'Three president) explained: thirty-fifth (later nation's the oflinmrgrais,lohn E Kennedy hardshipstrong-forces-religiouspersecution,political oppresslon,and economic greatKennedy's proviJedthe chief motlvesfor the massmigrationsto our shores." pograndfatherhad beenoneof thoseimmigrants,a farmerwholeft lrelandduringthe tato faminein the 1840s.
Immigration
';x;
before IndePendenoe
probablythe Native Theearliestimmigrantsto the areanowknownas the U.S'were from Asia Americans(or AmericanIndians).Theycameto the WesternHemisphere were 15 there century, fifteenth the By about 15,000yearsago or perhapsevenearlier. 700'0@ as many as million to 20 million NativeAmericansin the Americas.Perhaps reachedthe werelivingwithinthe presentlimits of the U.S.whenChristopherColumbus in 1492. WestemHemisPhere visited the Duringthe 1500s,French,Spanish,Portuguese,and Englishexplorers is now that area the in NewWorld.Thespanishfoundedthe first Europeansettlements estabwas U'S'tegitory the U.S.Thefirst permanentBritishcolonywithin present-day Virginia.in 1607,by loa Britishcolonists.In 1620'a secondBritish lishedin famestown, colony,consistingof 102people,wasfoundedin Plymouth,Massachusetts. morethan 3 tn iZg0,the whitepopulationof the 13originalcoloniestotaledslightly the rest milfion.About 75%ofthesefirst Americanswereof mostly Britishancestry;
UNIT2 . The SaladBowl:Cultural
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man, Dutch,French,Swiss,and Spanish.The Britishgavethe new nation its language, Iaws,and philosophyof government.
Z **ro*
Gonprdanslon why is English, ratherthanFrenchor spanish,themaiorlanguage of theu.s.?
Immigration from 1790to 1920 5
Americanindependence did not immediatelystimulateimmigration.Between1790 and 1840,fewer than I million foreignersenteredthe country.But between lg4l and 1860,more than 4 million arrived.Potatocrop failuresin trelandstimulatedlrishimmigration.Germanscameto escapeeconomicand politicaldifficulties.Duringthe lasthalf of the nineteenthcentury,many Scandinavianscame,attractedby good farmland.The IndustrialRevolutionand the westwardmovementgavenew immigrantsan important role in the nation's economic development. Employers needed factory workers. Landownerswanted tenants for western lands. They sent agents to Europe to ,.sell,, America.Agentsof steamshiplines and railroadcompaniesattractedthousandsof im, migrantswith storiesabout a fabulous"land of opportunity." 6 Immigration took another great leap after 1B80.Betweenl8BI and 1920,abrlut 23.5 million aliens were admitted. Nearly 90"/oof these newcomerswere from Europe-After 1882,the govemmentkept Asian immigration to a minimum becauseAmericanworkers feared that new Asian immigrants would take their iobs or lower their wages. In fha QOAo rho E"-^^^^:.;. 7 In the I1890s, the sources of European ^f im-^".^^migration began to shift. Between l88l and 1890,approximately80%of Americanimmi. grants came from northem and westem Europe. By l9l l, about 77"/"werecoming from southern, central, and eastern Europefrom ltaly, Russia, Austria-Hungary Romania, Bulgaria, Greece, and areas that later became Poland and Czechoslovakia.Many of those from Russia,Romania,and Poland were fews fleelng religious persecudon. 8 Most immigrants aniving between 1886 and 1924came into New York Harbor, past the inspirational Statue of Liberty, which is l5l feet tall. She invited them to go through the "golden door." But first they were taken to nearby Ellis lsland to be checkedin. From l90l to l9l7, this facility processed2,000ro 5,000immigrants everyday. Now, it is a museum. The Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor
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CHAPTER 6 . A Nation of lmmigrants
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in tfte lJ.S.stimulatedimmigration? developments What ftistorical GsnFeianslon What problemsin Europestimulatedemigration?
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Immigration since 1920 DuringWorld War l, immigration declineddue to travelingdifficulties.After the wal Europeansonce again begancrowdingaboardships to the U-S.But Americanindustry no longerneededthem. Duringthe 1920s,Congresspassedthe first quota law,limiting the total number of immigrantsallowedand the number allowed from each country. .lo From l93Oto 1945,legallimits and World War lt kept immigrationto a minimum. When the war ended, immigration rose sharplybecauseentrancewas allowed to millions of people left homelessby the war.Speciallegislationadmitted large numbersof displacedpersons,refugees, orphans,and war brides' .11 Duringthe last half of the twentieth century,the United Stateslifted immigrationrestrictionsfrom time to time to take in refugeesand easesufferingin other parts of the world. ln the late 1950s,thousandsof Hungarianswere admitted. In the early 1960s,be' causeof the Cuban revolution,more than 150,000Cubansenteredthe U.S.To relieve crowdedconditions in Hong Kong,severalthousandnonquota Chinesewere also permitted entry. In 1979,the U.S. admitted more than 20,000Vietnameserefugeesper month. In the late 1970sand 1980s,hundredsof thousandsof Russians(mostly fews) were also allowed to enter. 12 At the present time, immigration is permitted according to various categories.Immediate relatives of U.S.citizens may come in without numerical limit. The number of immigrarrtswho are sponsored by family members living in the U.S.is limited to about Z25,WOper yeat and there are limits on how many visas can be issued per country.A significant number of people are allowed to immigrate becausethey have occupational skills needed in the U.S.The immigration laws are very complex. Someone wanting to immigrate should talk to an immigration lawyer or with the local office of the lmmigration and Naturalization Service(lNS)Immigration resHctions may seem cruelto those who are living in difficult circum13 stances elsewhere,$ui'they became necessry because,in the twentieth century the U.S.population ereb€da very rapid rate. By 1920,the population had reached 100million.-Fiity years later, it had doubled. A higher birthrate, lower infant mortality' and longer life o
can, and Dutch.
UNIT2 . The SaladBowl: Cultural Diversityin the U'5'
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Whr4doestfte U.S. needimmigratianrestrictions?
Today's Foreign-Born Population 15
Here'sa statisticalsnapshotof the foreign-born population in the u.s. today: o About lO"/"of the U.S.population is foreign-born. o Most foreign-bornresidentsare Hispanicsor Asian/pacificlslanders. o About 7 million (28"/")of today'sforeign-bornresidentscome from Mexico.That'sthe largestforeign-bornpopulation from a singlecountry in U.S.history. . The five states with the largestforeign-bornpopulations are California;New york, Florida,New fersey,and Texas.Californiais home to about one-third of the nation's foreign-bornresidents,who makeup about 28"/o of the state'spopulation. . How are immigrants doing in this "land of opportunity"?ln 1996,the poverfyrate for foreign-bom citizens was t0%. That figure was lcwerthan the poverty rate for American-borncitizens,which was almost I3"/o.However,foreign-bornnoncitizens had a poverfy rate of almost 277".
Countries of Birth of U.5. Foreign-Born Population (1997) Mexico: 7,017,000
Vietnam:770,000
Philippines: 1,132,000 India:748,0OO
EI Salvador:607,000 United Kingdom: 606,000
China:1,107,000
FiormerSoviet Union: 734.OOOKorea:591,000
Cuba:913,000
Dominican Republic 632,000 Germany:542,000
Source:U.S.CensusBureau
lJ.S.resiilents Wherehavemostof toilay'sforeign-born cometrom? The Hispanic Population About 35 million people living in the U.S.(about 2.5%of the population)belongto a Spanish-speakingethnic group. More than half of them are foreign-bom. Native speak ers of Spanishare called Hispanks(orl-atinul.Hispanics form the second-largestcultural minority in the U.S.,after the nation's 36 million non-Hispanic African-Americans.The Hispanic population is younger than the national average,and its birthrate is higher. It is the most rapidly growing minority group in the country. Hispanics are expected to be the countrfs largest ethnic minority by the year 2005. For this large Spanishspeakingpopulation, the U.S.now has Spanishradio and TV stations as well as Spanish newspapers,magazines,signs, and directions in many places. 17 Almost three-fourths of the nation s Hispanics live in five states: Califomia, Texas, 16
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J CHAPTER6 . A Nation of lmmigrants
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New York,Florida,and lllinois.The three largestHispanicgroupsin the U.S.are Mexicans,PuertoRicans,and Cubans.Mexicanimmigrantsand Mexican-Americans {those born in the U.S.)totalabout l3 million. tat Mexicanshave an important place in American history. They helped establishLos Angelesand many other settlementsin the Southwestthat later becamemalorAmerican cities.Also, they taught important methods of farming,mining,and ranchingto Americanswho settled in the West.When the Mexican-AmericanWar ended in 1848, the peace treaty gave the U.S. more than 525,000square miles of territory in the Southwest.Mexicansliving in this areawere granted U.S.citizenship.Becauseof these California,New Mexico,and Coloradowere permittedto enterthe Mexican-Americans, union as bilingual states. 19 The islandof PuertoRicois locatedabout 1,000miles southeastof Florida.In 1878, War,the U.S.won PuertoRico(alongwith Guamand duringthe briefSpanish-American PuertoRicohasremainedpartof the U.S.eversince. from Spain. the Philippinelslands) Puerto Ricansare Americancitizens,but, if they live in Puerto Rico,they don't vote in U.S.elections.Theycan travelto and from the nation's mainland without immigration restrictions.About 3 million PuertoRicanslive on the mainland,the majorityin or near New YorkCity. PuertoRico has what is calledcommonwealthstatus with the U.S.government.It receivesprotection and assistancefrom the federalgovernmentbut has some local authority over its intemal affairs.Among Puerto Ricans,there is disagreementabout political goals for the island. Some are satisfied with the commonwealthstatus,some advocate statehood, and others want the island to become independent. 21 Cuban immigrantsand their children make up the third largestgroup of Hispanics. About I million Cubansnow live in the U.S. Most came as exilesduring or after 1959, when Fidel Castro took over and the country became communist. Most Cubansin the U.S.live in southem Florida,Puerto Rico, New York City, and New Jersey.Many of these immigrants are well-educatedwith backgroundsin professionsor business.As a result, they havea higherstandardof living in the U.S.than many other Hispanics. The influence of the Hispanic culture is felt and enioyed by the rest of Americanso22 ciety. Hispanic food is eagerly consumed everywhere. Nachos (com chips with hot cheese on top) are about as popular as hot dogs in American ballpark. In supermarkets, salsa (a spiqr sauce)sells almost as well as ketchup. Hispanic singersare verypopular among younger Americans,as are Spanish dances such as the merengue,tango, samba, and--of course-salsa.
1r-
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causeiltfteU.S. to acquire Whatftistoriulevents population? Nameat leastthree. a largeSpnnish-speafung Illegral Aliens 23
lllegal aliens are people living in the U.S.without proper authorization.Many enter the country by sneakingacrossthe border. Others come on temporary student or visitor visas and do not leave when their visas expire. Most illegal aliens want to stay in the
UNff 2 . The SaladBowl:CulturalDiversityin the U.5.
.I
U.S.becauseemploymentopportunitiesare so muchgreaterthan in their nativecountries. Since illegal alienstry hard not to be discoveredby the government,it's impossible to get an accuratecount of them. CensusBureauestimatesset the numberat about 6 million. 24 In 1986,the U.S.govemmentadopted a new law affectingillegal aliens. lt was designedto accomplishtwo main goals:(l ) to allow illegalalienswho had been livingin the countrysinceJanuary1982to gain legalstatusif they appliedby May 4, 1988,and (2) to discourageothers from coming into or stayingin the country illegally by making it difficult for them to find employment.The law prohibitsAmericanemployersfrom hiring illegalsand providesfor severepenalties-fines and evenimprisonment-if they do so. Underthe 1996law,morethan I million illegalaliensappliedto becomelegalresidents. But this law has also forcedemployersto checkon all prospectiveemployeesto be surethat they are allowedto work in the U.S.
.:......;:.:,,.,, E E $ftefi,{oun ;tn moredifftcult foran illegalalientogeta iob? t WhUhasit become The Many Contributions of Immigrants The wide varietyof immigrantgroups in the U.S.has given the nation greatdiversity in its industrial development.Germans,Scandinavians,and Polessharethe credit for turning milliors of acres of wildemess into farmland. Scandinaviansand Canadians helped to develop the lumber industry. The Swedesbuilt the first log cabins. The Swiss brought clock-making and cheese-makingskills. The English were experiencedin the handling of horses,cattle, and sheep.The Greeks,Italians,Portuguese,and Spanish grew citrus fruits and grapes.ltalians started the wine industry.Chineseand lrish laborers built the first railroadthat spannedthe nation. In addition to their skills,immigrantsbrought their political and socialtheories,religions, academictraditions, holidays, festivals,sports, arts, hobbies, and foods. The Germansintroduced the Christmastree, kindergarten,and the symphonyorchestra.The Dutch brought ice-skating, bowling, golf, and the art of growing tulips. The French taught Americans elegant Europeancooking and dancing. Italians brought their talents in painting, sculpture, and architecture.The lrish establishedthe Catholic Church as an English-speakinginstitution, introduced parochial schools, and built many Catholic colleges. The American diet has also been delightfully affected by various immigrant groups. The Dutch taught Americans to make waffles and doughnuts. The Germans brought hamburgersand sausages.ltalians introduced pizza,spaghetti. minestrone, and ravioli. Americans also enioy Swisscheesesand fondue, Irish stew,Chinesechow mein, lndian cunies, Russian caviar, Middle Eastem shish kebab, Danish pastry, French chocolate mousse,and Tirrkishcoffee. The U.S.has often been called a melting pot becauseimmigrantsfrom allover have 28 becomepart of this one nation and haveshareda common cultureand a common loyalty. But this doesn't mean that immigrants forget their past. On the contrary immi-
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CHAPTER 6. A Nationof lmmigrants
* lll
l{ l}.i il .i
grants from the same country tend to create their own neighborhoodsand establish their nativereligiousand culturalinstitutions.Most immigrantparentstry to teachtheir traditions,religiouscustoms,and moraloutlookthat is their herchildrenthe language, communitieshaveetlrnicfestivals(featuringethnicfood,songs, cities and itage.Many dances,stories,and arts and crafts)to bring togetherpeoplewho sharea commonheritage.Some festivalsare sponsoredby one group (for example,people of Greek,lrish, or polish descent).Others include people from dozens of different cultures.These events remind Americansthat the nation is not reallya melting pot at all. In fact,people now preferto call it a saladbowl.Why?In a salad,manydifferentelementsare combined into a whole, but each ingredientalso retainsits individual identity.That is what happensto immigrantswhen they becomeAmericancitizens' In spiteof the nation'simmigranttradition,it still isn't easybeinga newcomerto the 29 U.S.Often, there is family conflict becauseparentshold onto "old-country"wayswhile For manyadult immigrants,learningEnglishis a their childrenbecomeAmericanized. nation is anotherchalverydifficulttask.Findinga good job in this hiehlytechnological live happilyin it. The land and adopted love their immigrants most Nevertheless, lenge. that they never had beiore.In resafety people of hope and sense a U.S.hasgiven many adopte.l with their skills,talents,ideas,and land turn, immigrants haveenrichedtheir hard work.The U.S.A.is a strong and prosperouscountry largelybecauseit is a nation of immigrants.
Arrrn You Rrno l. Getting the Message A. 0n eachblank |ine,write the letter of the phrasethatcorrectly completeseachsentence. 1. Aqcording to paragraph l,John E Kennedy wrote ANation of Imtnigrants
b a. after he becamepresident
16) before he becamepresident 2. Paragrapbs3 and 4 sug!$esttlrat Americans speakEn$ish because a. the first Europeansto e4plorefhe areawere Engflish 6] A" majority of the American colonists were En$ish 4 3. According to para$raph16, the U.S. today has African-Americans than {d) more Hispanics T. more African-Americans than Hispanics 4. Ac*nrdrngto para$raph20, Puerto Rico is a. aflAmerican state t0 aU.S. commonwealth
UNIT2 r The SaladBowl: Cultural Diversityin the U.5.
$a
5. Paragraph 28 compares tlie,U.S. to a salad bowl because a. immigrants tend to forgiettheir past
,$) immigrants tend to keepmany traditions from their native country B. Answerthesequestionsin smallgroupsand thenon a separatepieceof paper.Write completesentences. 1. What did British immigrantsgive to the U.S.? 2. What three main situations have brought immigrants to the U.S.? 3. What are two main points that this chapter makes about American immigration?
ll. BuildingYour Vocabulary wordsfor thischapter.Theyare boldfacedin the A. Iheseare the 15 keyvocabulary thesewordsafteryourteacheranddiscusstheirmeanings. reading.Pronounce 'alien ancestry '"*bilingual double *expfue
.r flee r foreign r immigrant *motive i oppression
permanent v persecution .nrefugee restriction * visa
words.Makethenounsplural withsomeof thekeyvocabulary thesesentences B. Complete andputeachverbintothecorre;ttenseandform. if necessary, from their native cometo the U.S.afterthey 1. Refugees ltl* counbybecauseof religiousor politicalpersecution. 2. People who leave their native land and come to live in the U.S. are called
i,nv*^qt**.{J
or resident rtf\*te-$v
passportis issuedby a traveler's native country. A{n) 3. A -
r$d-ia
issuedby the country the traveler wishes to enter. i I
, *I Y
I a
-a
trlur r r { 4. Travelers should leavethe countqrbefore their visa ,l\ f Sl",t''q-"r are peoplewho come to the U.S. for protection and safety.If ). they returned to their native country, their lives might be in dan$er 6. TWo wordspI-that refer to cruel treatment of a gpoupof people are | trr--fu'rrr and p"rr,,,J-:r'*..t#r'.}'---,. . nf*.!.t 7. From 192}to 1,970,the population of the U.S. increasedfrom 100 million to20O million. In other words, the population
, lo r. 6t.8-- ua--r'i*
I (continueil on the nzxt page)
--{ I j
CHAPTER 6 . A Nation of lmmigrants
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l'
8. One common reason or
1.di .t"'r 'i 'l
for coming to the U.S. is to earn more
money. 9. At some ethnic festivals, food and handmade items representingmany countries are sold.
10.
speak two languagfesis
unt l.'{ ', u dq
\'-'
lll. SharpeningReadingSkilfs context clues Many words in English havemore than one meaning.To understand what you read, you need to study the context(generalsitration) in which a particular word appears.This meansfhat you should study the words and sentenc€sthat surround a word you don't know. Readtheparagraphs that containthefollowingwords.On eachline,write the letterof
meaningas it is usedin each paragraph.
1. The word presenf sometimes me€rnsua glfL,' But what does it mean in paragraph
2? r", d:?now,at the currenttime h in the nearfuture
2. In a sciencefiction movig the word alizns means "creaturesfrom anottrer planel" But what doesit mean in paragraph6? * *f ioreign-born noncitizens living in the country b. illegal residents of the U.S. 3. The word declinedsometimesmqans "refi.rsed."But what doesit mean in the firstsentenceofparagraph 9? s a. increased r$ decreased 4. The word admil sometimesmerns "acknowledgeor @nfess." But what does adryittedmearrin paragraph11? ,-,n gl allowed in b. refused admission to
lV. Understandingldioms and Expressions usetfrefollowing edpress,bns to complete thesentences onpage69. Thenumbers in parentheses givetheparagraphs in whichffreexpressions are used. from time to time (11) n"greatleap(6) r land of opportuniry (5) s meltintrfpot (2S)
UNIT2 . The SaladBowl: Cultural Diversityin the U.S.
*old country (29) * population explosion (13) *.salad bowl (28) standardof living (21) -
I
1. An immigrant's homelarrd is sometimes referred to as the
{-lA
.r."''h '.',l
2. Becausethe U.S. is a nation made up of people from many different countries, it has been called a(n) (-r ..r*{,*"-c.rJerc{
*"t.rt'J,\
or a(n)
3. The number of people living in *re u.S. increaseda greatdeal in a short time. This was calleda(1) f"uprrld-l*"",. -Exk-& Fr'*** 4. To attract Errropeansto the U.S., the country was advertisedas a(n) Ir*:t I & .t"r f.i*"'i,.,un i'T , whereworkerscouldfind goodjobs. 5. Many immigrants come to the U.S.,t? go higher-payrngjobs so that they and their families can have a higher {"Fat^d"s" d' * L- 'i=iv'."".&. *il''rrq ^4* \='t'"*'-r . meanssomething happensSccasionallyand 6. s-nr*. ,.I
repeatedly. 7. When conditions were bad in someEuropean countries, many people movedto the U.S. American immigration took a(n)
V. TakingWords Apart A. Names of Languages In English, most namesof languages end with€se, -an,ish, or ch. ln mostcases,fhesame wordis usedto refer to the peopleor productsof that counw. Next to eachcountry,write the nameof the languageor languagesspokenthere.Workin smallgroups.Usea dictionary, if necessary. almanac,or encyclopedia Examples France French ?ili?ino,Enalieh,Taqaloa the Philippines 1. Canada
7. llaly
2. China
8. Korea
3. Germaay
9. Poland
4. Greece
10. Puerto Rico
5. Holland
11. Russia
6. India
12. Vietnam
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CHAPTER6 . A Nation of tmmigrants
B. Word Parts of theseword partsand writethemon the blanklines. ln a dictionary,find the meanings Example refuge in the word refugee: l.
?rotect'ion
migrate in the word migration:
2. bi- and.lingua-in the wordbilingual: 3. ex- in the words exile andexplosion: zf-\
(' SentencePatterns \- VliPracticinq //
fi**l t,rr-rr''"{:
canbe usedto contrastideas.Someof manydifferentwordsand expressions ln English, 13, in spite ot, andon the contrary.Rereadparagraphs themare but, however,nevertheless, partner, discussthe ideas of thesewordsin sentences.Wrtha 28, and29 andfind examples thatare beingcontrastedin the sentences.Ihen writeyour own sentenceswith contrasting thoughts. , , F )* n , ,ig * % , f u -. . r, * rr r $ . . _ . i.
A.
' .' d * * -{ * .- *f- - - T
2. rnspiteofther"a*"*trr"r,i**ttv g[{ n*d Jat L'''nr *il '. tr"a "{-
3. I like ura{#-''a'
d.,r d^-i,( a;r*Ulr ur*.t{(
Ilowever,
*t'a
-l**'
5. Being flr immi
[q
t,qrd&
-l*a
is difficutt.
u|\L?
ql
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I
e,o,l$fu"l$
J u t,tr
fd.d'i\
{*, 1.rt 1QT
Vll. Sharingldeas A. lssues Debatethesercsuesin smallgroups.Thenchooseoneand write aboutit. 1. Should immigrants live in neigftborhoodswith people from their native county? Or is itbetter to 'smainstr€am'a1dmingle more with Americansand immigrants from other countries? 2. Should statesprovide free services-such as education and health car€-to illegd aliens and their children? 3. .Should statesthat have a small immigrant population contribute money to states with large numbers of immigrants to help provide funds for their needs?
UNIT2 . The SaladBowl: Cultural
*
*.{-r* F. i", r,,i i
4. lour friend isn't On the eon:frar!1
t"
B. On a Personal Note Writeaboutoneof thesetopics. l. Peopleusedto talk about immigrants'hssimilating" (becomingsimilar to the people in their new country). Now, Americans talk about cultural diversity and about accepting and apprecratingthe customsof immigrants. In what areasof life do you think immigrants should assimilate?In what areasshould they retain the customsand lifestyle of their native country? Consider noral outlook, attirg food, marriage customs,childrearing practices,Tanguage, and so on. 2. If you ever decideto move to anothercountqr, which country would you choose and why? 3. Are you an immigran! student or visitor in the U.S.?If so, write about why you came.Did vou find what vou wanted?
CHAPTER 6 . A Mtion of lmmigrants
The Africarl-American
An actressplaying the role of CongresswornanBarbara Jordan
BrroReYou Rrno Discuss l. what do you know about the history of African-Americans in the u.s.? 2- whatfamous African-Americans can you name?why are they famous? 3. Name some difficulties that a person ean overcome.Name somethings that a person canbe overcomeby.
JII
Guess Tryto answerthe questions. Ihen lookfor the answersin thereading. 1. what percr,rrtageof the American population is African-American? Check (/) one: -4 o A
-1 3 o /o
-21o/o
2. When did slavery end throughout the U.S.?Check (t) one 1820 _ 1865 _ _ 1895
The African-Arnerican We shall overcome, we shall overcome We shallovercomesome day! Oh deep in my heart, I do believe We shallovercomesome day! Thesewords are a variation of a song written in 1901.Portions of the melody go back even furlher. Yet, when Americanshear it, they think of the civil rights movement in the mid-twentieth century. Everyyear,Americans hear this beautiful song over and over on radio and TV,especially on Martin Luther King lr.'s birtnday (celebratedthe third Monday in January)and during Black History Month (February). Most of todays blackAmericansare descendantsof Africans brought to the U.S.A.by force and sold into slavery.After slaverywas abolished, segrcgadon in the South and discriminadon in the North kept black secbnd-classcitizens for almost another century. Conditions have greatly improved for black Americans during the past 50 years. Amongthis nation's35 million blacksare manysuccessful,important,and famouspeople. However,as a group, Aftican-Americans remain a disadvantagedminority. Their struggfe for equal opportunity has been won in the courts of law, but they are still struggling for the respect and prosperity that most other Americans enioy.
Wftatproblems areffiun-Ameriuns stilltrying to overame? Slavery-F?om Beginning to End 3 ---l
f i
In the fifteenth century Europeansbegan to import slaves from the African continent. The discovery of the Americas increasedthe demand for cheap labor and therefore increasedthe slavetrade. During the next 400 years,slavetraders kidnapped about
I
*!
I
.4
CHAPTER 7 . The African-American
@
l5 million Africansand sold them into slavery.Whenthe AmericanCivilWar beganin 1g60.therewereabout 4 5 million blacksin the Unitedstates,most of them slaves. The vast maiority of slaveslived in the South,wherethey workedin cotton, tobacco, and sugar-canefields. Most were deprivedof a formal education,although a few were and they taughtio re"d and write.TheirAfricanreligiouspracticeswere discouraged, wereforcedto convertto Christianity The slavessufferedgreatly,both physicallyand emotionally.Theyworkedlong hours masin the fields.Theylived in crowded,primitive houses.some were abusedby cruel wife, or husband, a slave's selling by ters. often, slaveownersseparatedblack families these all emphasized chifd. Un"leTom'sCabin,a famous novel about southern slavery, that AbrahamLincoln evils.The book arousedso muchantislaveryfeelingin the North "so who wrote the woman little you're the stowe, said to its authot Harriet Beecher book that made this greatwar." AmericanCivil The "greatwar" that Lincoln was talking about was, of course,the was the War,also called (primarily in the Southl the War betweenthe States'Slavery slave labor to work underlying causeof this war The agriculturalsouth dependedon use for slavelabor, no had North the fields of its large plantations. The industrialized a greatevil' and' and slaverywas againstthe law there. Northernersconsideredslavery free states' By the in fact, some white Northernershelped blacksescapeto one of the and free states' mid-nineteenth century the nation was divided between slave states it would be question whether of the Whenevera new state wanted to enter the Union, become a and Union slave or free was raised. Finally, the South decided to leave the Lincoln would not separate country-the Confederate States of America' President into a civil war' (For allow this. In order to keepthe U.S.united, Lincoln led his nation The war ended in 23') Chapter see frnno information about Lincoln and the Civil Wat abolished' lg65 with the North victorious,the country reunited,and slavery freedthe ln 1863,2 yearsbefore the war ended, Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation in 1865' the Thirteenth slaves in the Confederatestates. Shortly after the war ended years the Fourteenth and later, few Amendment to the Constitution freed all slaves.A giving AfricanFifteenth Amendments gave the former slaves full civil rights, including American men the right to vote.
in the Southbut notin theNorffr? Whyweretftereslaves .. ,
fteedom and lts Difficulties guaranteedto By lg70, blackAmericans had been declaredcitizenswith all the rights within a white society' everycitizen. But they were members of a conspicuous minority and unprepared to Furthermore, most black Americans were uneducated, unskilled, problemsprovide for their own basic needs. With freedom, they found many new legal,social,and economic' North, and this trend g After the Civil War,blacks began moving to the big cities in the greater freedom,but concontinud in the twentieth century.In the North, black found
8
UNIT2 . The SaladBowl: Cultural Diversityin the U5
w--
ditions were still difficult and opportunitieslimited. Discriminationin the sale and rentalof housingforced blacksinto poot crowded,mostly blackcommunities. t0 Blackswho remained in the South enduredeven worse conditions.Southernblacks were forced to obey state laws (called lim Crou,laws)that kept them segregatedfrom whites. Black and whites went to different schools,drank from different water fountains, used different public bathrooms,ate in different restaurants,and were buried in differentcemeteries.Blackswere requiredto sit in the back of buses,even when there were plenty of seats in the front. For southem blacks,there was no justicein the courts of law.Once accusedof a crime, blackswere almost certain to be found guilty by allwhite iuries. 11 Southernwhites who wished to keepthe powerof the vote from the largeblackpoputationof the South used the threat of violenceto discourageblacksfrom registeringto vote. When a black person did try to register,whites used many unfair ways to stop them-such as forcing black to pay a tax on the right to vote or to take a vervdifficult readingtest.
ln wftatwaAswereblacksfteptseparate fromwhitesin the South? Tlre Civil Rights Movment 12
The first changein the South'ssegregatedway of life came in 1954when the United States Supreme Court declared that no state could send students to different public schools based on race.After this historic decision, many other discriminatory practices were declared illegal. 13 The Supreme Court's school-desegregationdecision stimulated the hopes of blacks for a better life in the U.S. During the mid-1950s,blacksthroughout the nation began demanding equal rights and taking steps to accomplish this goal. Therewere boycotts (large numbers of people refusing to buy certain servicesor products). There were sitins (groups that included African-Americanssitting peacefully for hours at lunch counters or in restaurantsthat refused to servethem). There were freedom rides (busloads of northem liberals coming to the South to force integration of public facilities). And there were protest marches (largegroups of people walking in the streets carryingsigns that stated their goals). In many of these activities, African-Americanswere ioined by white Americans. 14 During the 1960s.the greatestblack leaderwas Dr.Martin Luther King fr. In 1955,King was a young Baptist minister in Montgomery,Alabama, when he formed an organization to boycott his cilfs buses. Becauseof regulations requiring blacksto sit in the back of the bus and to give their seats to whites if the bus got crowded, nearly all of Montgomerfs 50,000blacks refused to ride the citfs buses for more than a year.Eventually, the U.S.Supreme Court declared that dividing buses into black and white sections was unconstitutional, and therefore, illegal. '15 The Montgomery bus boycott made Dr. King a famous man and the unofficial leader of the nation's growing civil rights movement. King's philosophy showed the influence
CHAPTER7 o The African-American
tr
l6
11
of his Christianbeliefsand the exampleof MohandasGandhi,the great tndianleader whosenonviolentprotestshelpedto freehis countryfrom Britishcontrol.LikeGandhi, King urged peopleto refuseto obey evil lawsand regulations,but to protestwithout fighting and without resistingarrest.For more than a decade,King led nonviolent protestsand traveledaround the countryspeakingto Americanaudiencesboth in personand on television.His most famousspeechwasdeliveredin 1963in frontof the Linand a W audience coln Memorialin Washington,D.C.,beforea live audienceof 200,000 that includedalmost the entirenation.His messageincludedthesememorablewords: "l havea dreamthat one day this nationwill rise up and live out the true meaningof its creed'We hold these truths to be self-evident;that all men are createdequal."' ln 1964,dt the age of 35,Dr.King becamethe youngestpersoneverto win the Nobel PeacePrize.Duringthe next fewyears,his concernsexpandedfrom the problemsof segregationin the Southto discriminationin the Northand, finally,to the sufferingof poor peopleof all races.Dr. King was organizinga poor people'smarchat the time of his of Gandhionly assassination,on April 4, 1968.He once said that the assassination "shothim into the heartsof humanity."Surelythe tragickillingof Dr.MartinLutherKing fr. led to the same result.Today,a greatmany buildings,streets,and schoolsare named after him, and his birthday is a nationalholiday. Duringthe 1960s,Americansof Africandescentreiectedthe term Negroandbeganren-Ameiun.) ferringto themselvesas black.(Today,howevetmanypreferto be called.{frica "Black pride. popular newfound is beautiful" expressed their Blacksalso deThe slogan veloped a greater sense of identification with their African heritage.African hair styles and clothing becamefashionable.Coursesin black history becamecommon in college curricula as blacks became interestedin studying about their African past and their role in the development of the United States.
El*.*t*.
thatMartinLutfterKng lr. Ied Wftatweresomeof the activities rc.orylensot tn helpAfncan-Americans ftqhtfortheir eivilrights? African-Americans Today Since the 1960s,African-Americanleadershave worked hard to increasetwo kinds of black power
UNIT2 . The SaladBowl:CulturalDiversityin the U.S.
Realizingthat more educationwill help them get better iobs, blacksare stayingin schoollongernowthaninpastdecades.tn lg60,onlyabout2O"Aofyoungblackadults finishedhigh school.Today,the figureis about 75o/o.ln1980,about 42/oof blackhigh schools graduates enrolled in college. Today,about 60"/odo (comparedto 67"/oof whites). 21 Blacksare also trying to improvetheir financialposition by going into professionsor starting their own businesses.Thereare now more than 600,000black-ownedcompa, nies in the U.S.And blacksare more numerousthan everin the professions-as teachers, doctors,lawyers,iudges,and ministers. gains have been impressive.Now that more blacksare 22 In politics, African-American voting, more are getting elected.For example, African'Americanshold positions as mayorsof big cities and as membersof Congress.Howevet blacksare still quite underrepresentedin government.Although makingup 13"/o of the population,they hold only 1.5"/"of the nation's elected offices. In the mid-1990s,they held about 8,000of the 500,000electiveiobs in the U.S. 23 ln 1952,RalphEllison,an African-American author,wrote a book about blacksin the U.S.called Thelnvkihle Man.Sincethe 1960s,blackshave become more visible on TV and in movies and magazines.Network, filmmakers, and advertisersnow realizethat black consumerswant to see their race represented.Today,African-Americansin significant numbers work as newscasters,TV actors and actresses,and movie stars. 24 Despite progress in many areas,discrimination is still part of the African-American experience.Today,federal laws prohibit racial discrimination in housing and employment. However,fear and distrust still hamper race relations. Police officers and airport customs officials are more likely to searchan African-American(or other minority group member) than a white person.And Africhn-Americancomedians often ioke about being invisible to tixi drivers. 20
Whataretftreedifferent areasin whicftAfriun-Americans ftavemadegreatprogress? ContributionslPast
and Present
25
An important influence of African-American culture-nationally and intemationally-has been in the field of music. The familiar "Negro spirituals," the unusual rhythms and harmonies of iazz,the sad blues melodies-all these originated with the slaves. It is often said that what is best and most original in American popular music has its roots in black culture. Important black singers,composers,and instrumentalists are too numerous to list. 26 The contributions of indlvidual African-Americans have extended into every field. Looking back, one of the most interesting of black American scientists was George Washington Carver,the famous botanist. Carverbegan his life (probably in 1859)as a slave. Latel he revolutionized the agriculture of the South. From the ordinary peanut, Carverdeveloped more than 300 products, including soap and ink. And from the sweet potato, he developed I l8 products, including flour, shoe polish, and candy.
CHAPTER7 e The African-American
w
In recent years,many blackshave become famous in a wide rangeof fields Eddie Murphy and Bill Cosbyare two of severalwell-knownblack comedians.OprahWinfrey is one of the richestand most powerful people in the entertainmentindustry.TWosuperstars-singer Michael Jacksonand former basketballplayer Michael fordan-have becomeinternationalidolsof the young.ln intellectualfieldsas well,blackshavemade greatcontributions.Amongthe manyoutstandingblackAmericanauthorsof the twen, tieth centuryare poets GwendolynBrooksand MayaAngelouand novelistslamesBaldwin, Ralph Ellison, RichardWright, Toni Morrison, and Alice Walker.Ben Carson,an African-Americansurgeon,is well known for developingnew methodsof separatingcojoined twins. In 1972,Barbaralordan becamethe first black congresswomanto come from the Deep South. Since 1991,lustice ClarenceThomas has been on the U.S. SupremeCourt, the highestcourt in the land. The Reverendlessefacksonhas run for presidenta few times and has been involvedin resolvinginternationalcrisesconcerning hostages.In 2000,GeneralColin Powellwas the first AfricanAmericanchosento be secretaryof state. Givenequal opportunities,African-Americans will continue to enrichAmericanlife. The third verseof "WeShall Overcome"says,'We shall all be freesomeday."Americans of goodwill hope that somedaysoon African-Americanswill live free of preiudiceand sharethe prosperityof the countrythat is, after all, their home.
ArrrRYou Reno l. Getting the Message A. Rereadthe sectionentitled'Slaverylrom Beginning to End."Thenmarkeachstatement true(T)or false(F). 1. The slave trade was begfunby Americans. 1 4 ,i
2.Beforethe Civil War, mostblacksin the U.S.lived in the South. 3. Before the Civil War, somestatesallowed slavery and somedid not. 4. Northerners didn't want more slavestatesto enter the Union. 5. None of the slavesbecamefree until after the Civil War ended.
15 and 76. Thencomparefte livesand deathsof Gandhi and King. B. Rereadparagraphs 1. What kind of protests did botb men helieve in? 2. Howdidbothmendie? a civilwar andthe CivilWar. C. Discussthe differencebetween (Bothare usedin paragraph6.)
UNIT2 . The SaladBowl:Cultural
ll. BuildingYour Vocab-ulary A. Iheseare the 15 key vocabulary wordsfor this chapter.Theyare boldfacedin the reading.Pronounce thesewordsafteryour teacher,anddiscusstheir meanings. * abolish r assassination f boycott* conspicuous p discrimination
facility invisible kidnap overcome o plantation
I protest* I segregation t slave struggle* p underlying
B. Completethesesentenceswith someof thekey vocabulary words.Makethe nounsplural wherenecessary, and puteachverb intothecorrecttenseandform. r. qd{q$:9[\-
meansthe killing of a personfor political reasons.
2. T\te immediatecauseof the Civil War was the secessionof dre South.but the cause of the war was slavery.
tA.r!.'t' F'
3. Southern
were la4fe farms on which cotton or tobaccowere
I
on
-. #{fi'rt r
grown. The work was done by
4. When slavery ended in the South,
bee,amethe way of life.
state laws required blacks and whites to livg study, and play in different places. )- In the 1960s,northern liberals and southern blacks participated in sit-ins and l
marchesto
l,!
it it' ' ':-n.'
se$re$ation. i i j L.'+ tjls3 t "'t GI the buses,they didnl 6. When blacks in Montgomery Alabama, ride on them. 7. Becauseog d,l; e,r,*r*jn'ilfu,"ry'.blackssometimesdid not getjobs ttrat they were well qualified for. *lf
8. African-Americans'
f
ffi\r*t
{
for equal opporhrnity is not yet over.
C. Matcheachwordor phrasein column7 wih thephrasein column 2 thatmeansthesame thingby writingthe correctnumbers on thelines. L. the North, the U.S.----
cannotbe seen
2. thesouth
the Union
3. abolish 4. conspicuous.-*;*,---.-,-.: 5. invisible ----i I
I
6. protest
.T*_ ;'F "..*no,
very noticeable;easyto see the Confederacy prohibi! no longer allow
,_-.-=n-- expressdisa$reement;strong[y object
I
J
I
*These words can be used as nouns or verbs.
I
II j i
: t
CHAPTER7 . The African-American
JT
betweentwc ;. ' : ''' ' 'ii the relationship understand D. Ihe fottowingwordshelprea.ders in column2 by writingthecorrectnuinbersol eachwordin columnI withrts definition in whichthe worcisarr i.rsed. give theparagraphs in parentheses the lrnes.Thenumbers l. however(2, 77,22,24) \-. -.:.v af\era longltime ...-.-----..._but, nevertheless 2. therefore(3) .,.,.'''"u-=*in addition, also,anci Z3. furthermore (8)-=-,-,*\:;-*" -': .- as a result, so 4. eventually Oq '
lll. SharpeningReadingSkills andpossessiveadiectvesusuallyrefer backto the nearestan*r+frtfi: Pronouns the nounthat eachof thefollowingwordsrefersbackto'
.: j;-lI]
Example cat The cat chasedirs tail. to the cat') refers irs (The prssessiveadjective
l. They (paragraphS,sentenceZ)t 2. its (paragrap-tr5,1ast sentence):
l
1
I
3. its (ptaraSraph6, sentence3): 4. it (paragraph6, sentence7):
t' $
5. they (paragraph8, sentence2):
t: t!
.u{s?'*{t .6-*&.'
(.**t,t' J'{*fi
r t) . t. i'{at4
#r;,un"Ca*k
lV. Understandingldiomsand Expressions On eachblankline,wrrtetheletterof the correctphraseto comlietetftesentence.Jhe are used' in whichthe expressions give the paragraphs in parentheses numbers l. Civilrqhts (t, Z, t5) refersto, trt ffl cettaUrights to liberty and equal opportunity giuaranteedhy'!auz b. dgbts gaineataftet acivil war c. rigfrts $iven to somectlzens but not to ottrers 2. Overand over(L) means a. upside down ,H many times '-c" around and around
{)
means 4 3. Seconl.-class(2) t# not as $ood as first-class b. amilitaryrank c. agradein school
UNff 2 e The SaladBowl: Cultural Diversityin the U5
f,
4. Before the Civil War,free-s[ates(6) were those that a. didn't tax residents b. gave away land Q) didn't allow residents to own slaves
{
5. In the 1960s,a sir-in (t:) was h a\ agame 6,] u *ry to protest segregation c. blacks having to sit at the back of the bus
V.TakingWords Apart A. L-i-v-e spells two different words. One is a verb with a short r sound. The other is an adjective with a long I sound. The piural noun lilrs also has a long r..There is also an adjective ali'pe (pronounced with a long i sound). Completethese sentenceswith one of these words: the noun life or lives, the adjectivelive or alive, or the verb live tn the correct tense. Thenread the followingsentencesaloud to
practicethe pronunciation of thesewords. t\
1. Dr. King's speecheswere heardby
"-$\*L.
audiences and by radio
and TV audiences.
2. Blackslaves'J"J**'d
., f,r"'t t
in primitive homes.Their
weP-very difficult. 't,Ja.+3. Martin Luther KingJr. is no longier a short time. was too shorl 11" ''"'Lr* 1"$'
His
rjrl. t
B. Pronouncethe followingwordswitha silentu. 1. building
2. gullty
Vl. PracticingSentencePatterns Quotations within Quotations In the last few sentencesin paragraph15, the authors of this book quoted Martin Luther KingJr., who was quoting from the Declaration of Independence.Note that the quotation within the quotation uses single quotation marks. ln smallgroups,pracficewriilngsentencesin whichsomeoneis tellingwhatanotherperson you mustclose sard Usedoublequotationmarksand singlequotationmarks.Remember, singleanddouble.. bothquotations,
(continucd on the next page)
CHAPTER 7 . TheAfrican-American
E
E: S
l{i,l tt II
li
ii ll
,li
Example Bob's mother said, "I will never for$et the day my $randfather told me' 'You are the most wonderful child in the u'hole world'"'
il
jli 'ti
*i, $i ,fi 't l.
ti
f,
:ll
ili r ll it .:
sl!
{i fr ;ti.
It : ri't. ii f'
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Vll. Sharingldeas A. lssues Debatetheseissuesin smal!groups.Thenchooseoneandwriteaboutit' latter 1. Affir-mative attionis the name for a policy that was quite widespread in the certain of members It $roups Sreater part of the twentieth century. $ave ionsideration (for example,for jobs or admission to competitive colleges) to make up for past discrimination and to achieve gfeatef diversity in the workplace and on colle$e campuses. Is affirmative action a good idea? Americans believe that people should have freedom of speech. Howeveq they also believe that no one shogld say insulting things about another person's lace, religion, or ethnic group. Sometimes these twc beliefs conflict'rvith each other. Which is more important to protect-the right to say whatever one thinks or the
i
I'
.:
right to be protected from verbal abuse? ;-
B. On a Personal Note Wrtteaboutoneof thesetoPics. 1. Have you ever experienceddiscrimination? What happened?Tell how you were treated, how it made you feel, and how you responded' Z. Inany country you've lived in, have you noticed thatsome racial, religious, or group ethnit minorit;rgroup has been segregatedor discriminated a$ainst?What is it? How are theY tteate& you 3. Do you believe that people should marry someoneof their own race,or do think that it doesn't matter?
i.: ,-
UNIT2 . The SaladBowl:Cultural
!r--
!
'{ ltF{:
Religion in American Life
,,t,,:,. -t
{
rL .
,d*h
Norman Rockwell'spainting, "The Golden Rule,,
BrroRrYou Rrao Discuss 1. What do you think is the meaning of the painting above? 2. Do you think Americans are religious?What evidencesupports your answer? 3. Do you think a total separationof government and religion is gioodor bad for a country?
Et-
l,
t-
i 1l
rl; lr ' 'I
I J
Guess Tryto answerthe questions.Thenlookfor the answersin thereading. of Americans are Christian? Check (/) one 1. What perc,errt:rge 46Yo -66Vo -86Yo 2. .Ptboutwhat percentage of Americans attend religious services re$ularly? Check (/)
one:
25o/o -
45o/o
65o/o
3. Are American high school studentsallowed to say prayers in school?Check(/) one: -Yes
-No
Religion in American Life Maior Anerican ReHgions Christianity (belief in the teachings of lesus Christ) has always been the dominant American faith. 'lloday, about 86% of Americans are Christian (approximately 5fA protestant and 27%Catholic). However,this is a nation with great religrous diversity. American Christians are divided into many different groups, including Roman Catholic, the various national denominadons of the Eastem Orthodox churches,and hundreds of different Protestant denominations and sects.The largest Protestantgroups are the Southem Baptist Convention, the United Methodist Church, and the National Baptist Convention.Among the non{hristian religions, fudaism is the largest,with roughly 2"/" of the population. In addition, the U.S.A.has a great variety of other religions, including about 5 million Muslims, nearly 2 million Buddhists, and about 800,000Hindus. Arriericans are proud of their nation's religious diversity and of the religious freedom that all enioy. perhaps the greatest influence that Protestantism has had on American life comes from its philosophy regarding a person's relationship to work. This philosophycommonly called the Protestant work ethic--stresses the moral value of work. selfdiscipline, and personal responsibility.Accordingto this ethic, people prove their worth to themselves and to God by working hard, being honest and $rifU.and avoiding lux*{ Cfitfe ury. excessivepleasure, and waste. The accumulation of wealth is not consideredevil n-.i.rr"r,-ipunless it leads to a life of !d!g_n,eJq and sin. The Protestantwork ethic has much in common with capitalism and with the American emphasis on financial suctess,practicality, efficiency,and self-sufficiencY. TWo interesting Protestant groups founded in the U.S. are the Mormons and the : Christian Scientists. The Mormons (officially known as the Church of lesus Christ of
UNIT2 . The SaladBowl:CulturalDiversityin the U.S.
r
Latter-daySaints) were organizedin New York in 1830.Becauseit was customary for Mormon men to have more than one wife, Mormons were forcetjout of severalestablishedcommunities.Theytraveledwestwardand settled in the unpopulatedvalleyof the GreatSalt Lakein Utah,wherethey built a successful community.Thenthe federal governmentpassedlaws againstpolygamy and refusedto admit Utah as a state until 1896,after the Mormonsdiscontinuedthis practice Today,there are 4.g million Mormon churchmembersin the U.S.Most of them live in Utahand in easternldaho,where they are the major religioussect. a TheChristianScienceChurchwas foundedby Mary BakerEddy in 1879.ChristianScientists believethat healingof sicknessresultsfrom spiritual understandingratherthan standardmedical treatment.The ChristianSciencemovementnow has about 3,000 congregations in 57 countries.About two-thirdsof theseare in the u.S. 5 AnotherinterestingProtestantgroup is the Amish Originallyfrom Switzerland, this group (about40,000people)is now centeredin the U.S.and CanadaWithin the U.S., theyhavedevelopedfarmingcommunitiesin 23 states,mostlyin pennsylvania and the midwesternstatesof Ohio,Indiana,lowa,and lllinois.TheAmishareeasyto spot.Their clothingis old-fashionedand plain.Themen havebeardsand wearwide-brimmedhats and the women wear long dressesand bonnets.Jewelryand buttons are not allowed. TheAmish travel in horse-drawnwagonsbecausetheir religionforbidsthem to usecars. They have no telephonesor electricityin their homes. Amish children are educated through eighth gradeonly and are trained to be farmers. 0 Thecombined Protestantgroupsform the largestreligiousbody in the UnitedStates. But Roman Catholicism is by far the largest unified religious group. Since many Catholicssend their children to parochial (private religious) schools,Catholic funds have helped to build thousandsof elementaryand secondaryschools,plus many rine collegesand universities.Catholicshavealso playeda prominent role in Americanpolitics. However,not until 1960,when lohn F Kennedy was elected president,did a Catholichold the highestoffice in the land. 7 The largestnon-Christianreligion in the United Statesis ludaism.Thereare about 6 million lews in the U.S.Theybelongto three maior groups:orthodox, Conservative, and Reform.During the Sabbath,observedfrom sundown Fridayuntil sundown Saturday, Orthodox lews do not work, and they travel only on foot. lewish tradition imposes certain dietary restricfions, prohibiting pork, certain seafoods, and the serving of milk products at meals that include meat or poultry. s The fewish people are relativelyfew in number in the U.S.and worldwide,but their intellectual and cultural contributions have been very great indeed. Among the great twentieth-centurymusicians,for example,were many Jewishviolinists, pianists, and composers.American lews havealso been prominent lawyers,iudges,authors, and doctors. Tlventieth-centurythought was greatly influenced by the original ideas of three European-bomfews:Karl Man (the founderof communism),Albert Einstein(one of the foundersof the Atomic Age),and sigmund Freudlthe founderof psychoanalysis). 9 Two other religions of significantsize in the U.S.are Islam and Buddhism.Islam is the second-largestreligion in the world (afterChristianity).The word Islarnmeansboth "surender" and "peace."The name refersto the peacethat comes from surrendering to the will of God. Worldwide, lslam has about I billion followers in manv different
CHAPTER 8 . Religionin AmericanLife
--E
A1:, .';i1 countries.lt is the religionpreachedby the prophetMuhammai-J lslam arecalled ii':r ir' in Muslims. During .,,r. Believers aboute.o.570.
:;r Mecca ,;,ian,the
ninth month in the Muslim lunar yeal Muslims are required l-r-r fasi iriua e.ii er drink) !;,' ,,i rval, t he fro m s u n ri s e to s u n s et.A ttheendofthi speri od,theycel ebr:i r;i l :i i ' .. Breaking of the Fast {Bairam).Buddhism is the religion founr.ir.ril l:r' t:1,.:, t ;.,r,:;utama :ir,-,:i (who was given the titleBuddha,which means "enlightened ,r;,,, 1 rj:ijirr:ir,".rrir. ' ri.,3great i n te re s ti n i d e a s fro m E asternrel i gi onssuchasB uddhi smal l i i l i :,i ri r:,i ,ri 1 ::r:,: : iist he dominant religion in India. Many have found great benefits in r-"eC:iiir ,:: :.,i;:,-:,, rre fascinated by the idea of reincarnation (the transferenceof a sciur,;,-,;i,r ,r:,,,ii, ,::.' ,,,,:ingto another).
Z ,uo*rn*
Gompnelenslon ln termsof numbers of members, wftatarethethreemainre:tit
:
Religion and Govemment 10
I !'
*t'
?
Many immigrantscame to the Americancoloniesto escapr rr-rri;,:,:i.r i:,ri,:i-urion. Therefore,it was natural that the nation's foundersdemanded legalauani-ult**:r of religious freedom.The FirstAmendmentto the Constitutionforbir:i,:.i:;:,,:.:t,.i.,j.r :, ,:ilt of an official national religionand prohibits governmentalassistanc€ to ,,.,,:'J . !l i : i J I { -. -1 i )S It also prohibits state or federalinterferencewith religious institutions or tiactice:". 11 separation of church and state has been interpretedto mean ii,,,,'rr,rr:; !i .: r' 1.r j 31 supported by the federal government or a state govemment rflusi i-,t:iiitii l r , ..l , I fluence of religion. In many communitieswhereChristiansyrr.ii, picting the birth of Christ)once decoratedpublic buildings, ci! r:/{ri,ri:;,,,.,I r :!'i..: ;.. claiming that the presenceof these symbols on public proiri:n:, ;:i i.i',.', ,' i):::1:' There have been many other arguments about exactly what violates separaiioi"l church and state. Can a state govemment spend public funds tc \us children parochialschools?Canparentswho sendtheir childrento parochr::l,:,.:fil,:ls, ;r .';'j1./{r" credits becausethey are not using the public schools?Thesernafferq::e often li*.tli, bated in legislativebodies,courtrooms,school districts,and ciesr,ti,irr.alrri;,i.;r., 12 And what about prayer in the public schools?At one fi;ier iL 1:,:::!:;. : i./J:,.;f:., schoolstobegintheschool daywithaprayer.Butathelsts{f}***irrtriitr.:,iri;rr''!ir..r;.,,,,, ,,, any God) oblected.sayingthat requiredtime for prayer vir:lateejsef ::ri:r;r.::f , . , r:j i.i , and state. The govemment,they said, must not support any particui.:tifelip-;,,rrfr, i,t:-ii,iii j ;:r.', addition, it must avoid imposing upon people the idea of religi*n itr;;..]i. iiie i;;,rii,, a supematuralbeing influenceshuman destiny.In 1963,ih$,tr:r.,:r,:il-ri. i;i1r-liii,;,::,,..', compulsory prayer in public schools.After that. it was assminer.j r": ili*i *n.; rvsrr""{;itri:i: public buildings was forbidden. However,in recent years, iir-r*ric;:ti tiigil €r'hij{,:,:,::dents have been allowedto organizeprayerclubs just as they are ;:ilt';;erJi..,fbir i,: ,,r .l;{' extracurricularspecial-interestgroups. But these prayer sessionl n:i.i:;j vr-iiiir''i..r',, student-run, and conducted outside of class time. 13 Of course,religiouspeople want their governmentto beh*irerlil '",ii.ir:i iii.,:t';i1r.11 ;1,;,
UNIT2 . The SaladBowl:CulturalDiversitvin the U.5.
gion considersmoral. When.the laws of a religion and the laws of the state contradict each other, heated argumentsdevelop.The best example is the issue of abortion. tn 1973,the U.S.SupremeCourt said that states could not make abortion illegal.Thus beganthe continuing strugglebetweenthose who are "pro-choice"(thosewho believe that a woman should havethe legal right to end a pregnancy)andthose who are "prolife" (thosewho considerit murderto abort a human fetus).At present,abortion in the earlymonths of pregnancyis legalin the U.S.But membersof the "religiousright"(more conservativereligiouspeople)continueto push for a changein this SupremeCoulLdecision and often demonstrateoutside medicalclinicsthat performabortions. 14 Although Americansstronglybelievein separationof churchand state,the vast maiority havealwaysbeen believersin God.Therefore,although it may seeminconsistent, many official .Americanceremoniesand documentsmakereferenceto God.Sessionsof Congressand state legislaturesbegin with prayers.The national motto (printedon U.S.
i monev)is "ln Godwe Ttust."Ibg*llsjg_9_gl4ll,sglg_r!"g-g_tg_it'e Ar flqgcaltsrheUniredSraresi-1a
"one nation under God." Theseexamplesreflect the generalAmericanattitude-that there is a God, but that peopleare freeto believein God or not and to worship in whateverway they choose.
Whatiloesseparation of churchanil stntemean?Givesomeexamples. Are Americans Religious? 15
Historytells us that as societiesbecome more industrial and more technological, they also tend to become more secular (less religious).This has happenedto some extent in the U.S. but probably less so than in Europe. Roughly two-thirds of American adults are members of a church or synagogue.However,only about 4f/oto45% saythat they attend religious serviceson a weekly basis. What about the younger generation? Responsesto a stud of more than 1,000children (ages6 to 14) revealedthat 957obeIieve in God, almost 50%go to religious servicesweekly.and about 80%pray.According to another poll, 90% of Americans believe in God, and 80%believe in life after death. 16 Generalizationsabout what religion really means to Americans are quite difficult to make. Religious participation varies immensely depending on many factors, including race, age, social class, economic condition, amount of education, and region of the country. For example, African-Americansattend church in greater numbers than any other race, with about 53"6 reporting attendance within the prior week.Older people, manied people with children, and middle.income people are also more regularchurchgoers than younger people, single people, the poor, and the rich. States such as Oklahoma, Arkansas,Tennessee,and Alabama report higher weeklychurch attendancethan other areas of the country.Thesestates are in the area of the country commonly catled the BibleBelf.Many people in this area are religious fundamentalists-that is, they believe in the literal truth of the Bible. Also, they take their religion very seriously,so their religious views influence their attitudes toward many secular matters.
CHAPTER 8 o Religionin AmericanLife
*' it , err, .lr.J tr i { ,l t-.d,' ' ,
+-!,
,!l ., Clearly,many peoplewho believein God do not participateilr-r,ir iii i,lr-,;'riri',' i 'eligion. Still, religionis importantin severalways.lt providesr:ii.:r.ir:riii'r,ji r,.il..r,,;,,' ,,;i:ial .;,i rr-:.irj'ri.,:rre contacts,and importantrituals.Socialgroups.close frienoshr;.-. often formedwith membersof one'sown religion.(Howevei,iijiti: ilr,iirr ,.:i: ;j. ' ,,iasihat ingly more common.)In the U.S.,religionprovidesthe customsand i:'ere.iil,:rr,'r:,: marklife'smostimportantevents-thenamingof ababy,ccrr-ri,.:,,rrii, i!.i*'. ri3s, weddings,and funerals.Perhapsmost important,many religionsi,rr.jii'i:.1(:, rj,r:i;,:t:,.'.,,er ,,. some form of eternal life, which is a great comfort, especialil,il ti:r. i:iii i:i:li:ij;'::i:.i,. provide the comfort of a personalGod to turn to 18 The maior Americanreligionsalso in times of trouble. However,Americanshave neverbelievedin sirnplywaitiri f.i:,ibd to solvetheir problems.In the U.S.,religiousfaith livesside by sit.ii;r,iriiha si:,)ir-:r.,:,ref 1,:11Ben Franiii:rr in free will and an admirationof self-reliance. 1ii,r.,'qr;r3j ',r,r:.',.,,, "God helps them th,-.iiri,iir :i;i,,::;:,,.. ,," centurywriter,inventot and statesman)said, l DuringWorldWar ll, this sameidea was expressedin the saj,,r',;,, .: . tr . . :, passthe ammunition."Americansdo not believein acceptingrilirr-fl;.:;,i.. i' , , i : " ,. Theycount on their own actionsto improvethe qualityof life.Someti,,r,, r '-':'; ;.,i-, problems 11"1',1,;,.,;.:';',: giousleadersfor advicein dealingwith family or ni.;i:1,-r;, and psychciiigi.,t;r.;avr,, rr,:,,,r iy in their lives.But secularadviserssuch as psychiatrists takenover the counselingrole. 19 lf organizedreligioncan fulfill so many human needs,why h;::' -.r irr,.i;" ':.,.r. ," ' -r':.,1 iectedit? Some feelthat sciencenow answersmany questionsthat lvereri:rr.:trri.:ir-;r only by religion.(But manyscientistsare themselvesreligiousanciar6i,l'.: i ir;,ii1ii,,ri."..,'-,,. and order of the universeare evidenceof a divine creator.)Somepeririii, ;,::::i ,' :: ,ii ,1.i;:;,,;;,,,,'; and sufferingin the world and say that if a personal.all-powerfulil*i! ;;'.;111 i,.-..,,.i: human life would be less painful. (Believersrespondthat God 416;11;ir'i. .:.:!., i".: , . in f;k'd*r,iiij;i;!ii.r;. il1i-1;1',rr . , thatpeopleshowtooneanother.)Somepeoplebelieve of organizedreligion. Many religions require followers to give li-, ...-''.\, : . ' Somepeople see no purposein the willpower required.Finaiiy,ili*ii, ,r.ii1:rii i-,-r,!i;..-:!:. tion for people'slimited amount of leisuretime, and many peopiepiei'r: r',ii'r;;i.i.:.i.;:ii;:j to sitting in church. ' : ,+ Those who do make it to religious services regularly now have a i"iijn riii,:,,,!r,'-,r:: i"i',.ii.'-1.,, maketotheirabsentfriends.Researchhasrevealedthatpeople';,'hr,a1te,:,',:l.,"i.: ire:rilh:i;:ii,1'''.;';']rfri-1;r icesregularlylivelongerandenioybettdrmentalandphyslcal possiblereasonsare these:Churchgoingprovidessocial suppelri. ;,,1;;,i 111;qi,":ir:, i*:1i, r:'ducesstress.And lessstressis something'nearlyall AmericansrE:r:hi:ir:i rri:;r"ij 17
Arrrn You RrRo l. Getting the Message frr.r,:i'l.i indicatedin parentheses. Ihen rnarkeachsfulfcrrisr,'i A. Rereadthe paragraphs (F). false
UNIT2 o The SaladBowl: Cultural
&" Y '\ 1 -4-
1. Protestantsand Chiistians are allCatholic (1) Z. The national religion of the U.S.is protestantism.(10) 3. In the u.s., all forms of prayerhavebeenbannedfrom public buildings. (12) +. Abortion is legalin the U.S.,but somereligiouspeopleconsiderit immoral. (13) 5. The majority of Americansattend church seryicesat leastoncea week.
(1s)
B. Rereadtheparagraphsindicated in parentheses aftereachquestion. Discussthe questrbns groups. in small Thenwriteanswersusingcompletesentences. 1. How doesseparationof church and stateprotect religiousgroups?Name two ways. (t0)
2. How doesseparation of church and state protect the rights and freedom of individual crdznns?Name two ways. (ft-tZ)
L_
3. What evidencesupports the idea that most Americans bdlie.rrein God?Name two points. (14-15)
L_
L
t_ I
L
L L L L, L
t L
lf. BuildingYour Vocabulary A. Ihesearethe15 keyvocabulary wordsfor thischapter. Theyare botdfaced in the reading.Pronounce fftesewordsafteryourteacher, anddiscusstheirmeanings. atheist congregation denomination ;ceternal exist
moral polygamy Fptayer prohibit restriction
sectrlar sin* r spiritual lviolate worship"
*Tlrese words can be used as nouns or verbs. As a noun, worship is uncountable.
--E
CHAPTER8 . Religionin AmericanLife
fri
sentences-wtthsomeof thekeyvocabularywordson pages:i i'{akethe B. Completethese aid put eachverb intothecorrecttenseandform. nounspluralif necessary, fi,Tl Fl fleSr1L
1. A church is a place of
*ath refersto a(n) 11rlri"lva{ -life
2. In mostreligions, t*fuillfi"r
""
rather than a physicallife. Life after deathrefers to
-e.*qt&$,,',-,-,- l,;;, which
continues forever. 3.
flstgnd{*f . lJu 'J r-\. ' a(n) "" *r\*
is illegal in the United Statesand is alsogeneraiiyiursidered *{
4. Some people believe that God does not
*,t"trr F"\
r A teacher cannot display a prayer in a public school classruur;,.'r'l,;':i''',;',: ri Vi C'ftfr. laws about seprri.i:ic!.i':i against the law bepauseit would church and state.
t-'
*i r
6. A religious=9,n*+F&-i^sects.) c (Smaller$ioups are called (SmallerSioups ","''teligion. -.,"''tCfigion. &i is a glroupof peoplewho attend thr'::':l-i:rrir,,jj"''rrlual Z. l(n) #ry.:iffi? ,f t'-d'r"' - together. to$ether' say--p!e$-4{"" ---afrr&ffi synagogue. ---eh'"tiitffir They often saf synagoguaThey JrrraY
8.
activitiesdo not involvereligion.
$tru-{,4-n
:'',r.,r',ii;i: ,'l t,ir.:::l C. Matcheachwordor wordsin column7 wtththewordor wortlsi! {Giiiiairr ifiles the on by wriilng thecorrect numbers opposrte(their antonyms) * i' t: :!:iI
$ .r,
e . ji T.5i
r ii j :1
il . ti
,.
allow 1. beliefinGod **--.a\\-i.\ ...,,,fi *-.--*'.... monogamy 2. forbfi.,prohfrig restrict religious, sectarian 3. moral, ethical *=.... . \ =l3 ,fUe secclar 4. parochial F=r;r""'-*!l-l-3n , "-P -1 -- atheism 5. physical *--*;*'""-*",( sPiritud, meni;:l i;6. polygamy -3 **-*Ttr' sinful, evil 7. pro-choice q*=-."r'' 8. prominent * ^ , r/'1'---''- -.-"-*-r:'*gb'unnoticed, unkrlor"r-r mandatory, *:cluirr:'d ."){**:"ti* 9. secular tt
t''
n.'
10. voluntary --***f
UNIT2 o The SaladBowl: Cultural
-*
Pro-life
lll. SharpeningReadingSkills Euphemisms Peoplesometimes:useeuphemrsrzs when they want to talk about something unpleasant or improper in a nicer way. For examplg a basement aparfment is sometimescalled agarden apartment.Readersneed to be aware of euphemismsso that they are not fooled by them. This chapter mentions two common euphemismsused in the abortion debate:"I'm pro-chofuc."That soundsbetter than saying, "I support abortions (killing unborn children)." "I'm pro-life" soundsbetter than saying, "I opposeabortions. I want to deny women the right to decidefor themselveswhettrer or not to have a baby." It usually soundsbetter tobe for somethingthan to be againstsomething,so both sides of the abortion issue claim to be in favor of something good. (Choiceis good;life is good.) Hereare someotherwidelyusedeuphemisms. Canyou translatetheminto simple,direct English? Workwttha partner.Thenshareyour answerswithyourclassmafes. 1. He's a senior citlze*
5. That child is a slow learner.
2. She passedaway.
6. He's living cir a very limi:ed inccme.
3. She was laid to rest yesterday.
7. She'sexpecting.
4. That's an inner-city neighborhood.
8. He's terminally ill.
lV. Understandingldiomsand Expressions Oneachblankline,writetheletterof thecorrectphraseto complete fte sentence. Ihe givetheparagraphs in whichtheexpressions in parentheses numbers areused. peopleto 1. The Protestantworkethir (2) encnwages ?: gve a lot of moneyto the poor 'fr) work hard andbe successfrrl
{
2. ¶ti.on of churchand snte (f f) is good for Americans becauseit a. limits reli$ous freedom Si protects religious freedom
3. the Bibl^eBelt (16)ir
; a. a ropelike belt worn by a religious person .fi"1 a section of the U.S. known for ie conservativereligious beliefs
f? . 4. FYeewill (18) refers to ffi Cod'r control over human destiny b. personal control over human destiny i)
*1
I
I
(continued on thz next page)
CHAPTER8 . Religionin ArnericanLife
T
{; . 5. Willpower(19) means a. the ability to resist doing something pleasant that you shouldn't do ,6: a legal document telling what will happen to a person's money after his or her death
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6. To maleeit (20) to religious services means to a. attend b. perforrn
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V. TakingWords Apart
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A. Underline thecorrectwordto completeeach sentence.
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1. He's an atheist.He doesn'tbeiievein the (exist/ g_ykyg-nqp) of God.Do you believe that a supernatural being (q\ists / existence)? 2. Does it {yialme / vi.olati.on)separationof church and state to say "under God" in the Pledgeof A'llegianceto the flagf; 3. Many religions bave {restrict/ r:s11y911grzs) about what its membersc,an eat and. weaL
4. He (praged./pragers)for his little $rl's recovery from her seriousillness. When she got well, he said, 'God answereday (prag /{qlgg))' 5. PeopleQ:ru:yggu / congregati.on)aTongaparaderoute to watch a parade.peopre who att?nc[tfilsame church are called a (congregote / congiregatinn). B. Discussthe.meanings of thesetwo words beginningwrtfrself-.The numbersin parenthesesgivetheparagraphsin whichthe wordsappear. self-discipline (2)
self-reliance (18 )
C. Studythe meaningsof theseword parts.Thenusethemto completethewords defined below.
1.
con- : with, together inter- : between dis-, iJ-, u,n- : rrot rnis- : bad jt'.'l ,er fere (try to stop an action between others)
2.
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polg- : many
' ge(marriagebetween people of different religions or races) bgal (not legal) forhrne (badluck) gregiation(a group of people goming together for religious worship) Bropulated(nobody lives there) continue (stop doing something) gamy (multiple marriagesat the sametime)
UNff.2 . The SaladBowl:€ultural DiversiWin the U.5.
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Vl. Practicing Sentence.Patterns Paragraphs72 and 15 contain questionsbegfinningwith the words What ahout.. .7 This is an informal question phraseoften used in conversation to ask for more about doing something.There is no verb in this information or to make a sugfgiestion question. What aboutis usually followed by a gerund or ottrer noun (perhapswith an adjectivebefore it). Here are two more examples: If you don't like the red sweater,what about l,uyrng the blue one? (a suggestion) I know thatJoe never goesto church, but what about his wife? (askingfor information) of your own usingthe expression Nowwritea sentence whatabout. What about
Vll. Sharing ldeas A. lssues Debatetheseissuesin smallgroups.Ihen chooseoneand writeaboutit. 1. What if a person's religion requires an act that the gbvernmentconsidersillegal? Which is more important---obeying the laws of one's county or one's reli$on? 2. Should a government have the right to force a ciiznnto fo to war and kill an enemy?What if frat person'sreli$on forbids lcillin# 3. Most religions have rules about how a person must and must notbehave. Does reli$on enrich a person'slife enougftrto make up for this loss of personal freedom? 4. What's the difference between a crime and a sin? Can an actbe a crime and not a sin and vice versa? B. On a Personal Note Write aboutone offtese topics. 1. Do you believe in somesort of life after death?If so, describeit. 2. Over the last sweral millennia, has reli$on increasedhuman misery or human happiness? 3. Write about a retgious group that you think has someinteresting or unusual beliefs or customs
CHAPTER a . Religionin AmericanLife l
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American Education: The First 12 Years
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BrroneYou RrRo Discuss 1. In what ways are American schoolsdifferent from those in other countries? 2. Doyou thinkboys and girls should reenivethe sameeducation andbe in classestoglether? 3. Should school attendancebe required? Why? Until what age?
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Guess Tryto answerthe questions. Thenlookfor theanswersin thereading. Check (/) one: 1. What percnntageof American adults are high school gfraduates? -43Yo
-63o/o
83o/o
2. Who setsguidelines for American public schools?Check ({) one: the federal government
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the 50 state governments
Armerican Edacation: The First 72 Years The Goals and Purpose of PrSIic Education -\merican elementary and secondaryeducation is a vast and complex enterprise. From kindergarten through high school, about 72 million students are enrolled in school. To educatethis huge number of students, more than 3 million teachersare employed. They are by far the largest professional group in the country. In the U.S.A.,everyone has both the right and the obligation to become educated. Even children with physical or mental disabilities are entitled to be educated to whatever extent they can be. A lot of money is spent to provide special servicesand equipment for students who need extra help. For example, special assistanceis provided to children who speak little or no English. In some schools, they attend English as a sec' ond language (ESL) classes for part of their schoolday and study other subiects in classeswith English-speakingstudents. In schools where a sizable number of students speaka languageother than English,a bilingual program may be offered.In transitional bilingual programs,students study English, but some academic subiects are taught in the native language.Students stay in these bilingual programs until they are fairly fluent in fngiish (usually I to 3 years).Some bilingual programscontinue to teach students at least one subiect in the native languageindefinitely to help them maintain flu' ency and literacy in their native languageas well as English.
3
all states In orderto developan educatedpopulation{a necessityin a democracy), havecompulsory school attendancelaws.Theselawsvary from one state to another, moststudents but theygenerallyrequireschoolattendancefromages6 to 16.However, graduation, when they are l7 or 18yearsold. high school until at least school attend graduates. About83%of Americanadultsare high school
Wftatisthemaiorgoalof Amenun publicxhools?
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9 . American Education:The Fint 12 Years CHAPTER
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Public and Private
Schools
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About 860lo of Americanchildren receivetheir elementaryand high school educatron in public schools.Theseschoolshaveimportant characteristicsin common: o Theyare supportedby state and local taxesand do not chargetuition. o Most are neighborhoodschools,open to studentswho live in the district. o TheYare coeducational,which means that boys and girls attend the same schools and have nearlyall their classestogether.By providing girls with equal educational opporiunity,public schoolshavehelped to createself-sufficientAmericanwomen. ' Theyare locallycontrolled.The individualstates,not the federalgovemment,are re, sponsiblefor education.Publicschoolsare requiredto follow some state guidelines regarding,for example,curriculum (what studentsstudy) and teacherqualifications. But most decisionsabout a school district are made by an electedboard of education and the administratorsthat board hires.This systemcreatesstrongties between the district'sschoolsand its localcommunity. r Americansbelieve in separationof church and state. Therefore,American public schoolsare free from the influenceof any religion.As a result, children of many dif, ferent religionsfeel comfortableattendingpublic schools.This secularpublic school systemhelps a diverscpopulation sharea common cultural heritage. 5 Private schools can be divided into two categories:parochial (supported by a par, ticular religiousgroup)and independent(not affiliatedwith any religiousgroup).private schoolschargetuition and are not under direct public control, although many statesset educational standards for them. To attend a private school, a student must apply and be accepted. Parochial (mostly Catholic) schools make up the largest group of private schools.
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Summafize ofpublicxhools. fiveimportantcharacterbtics Whataresomeilifferences public between anil privatcxhools? Teaching Methods and Approachs
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Americaneducationhasbeengreatlyinfluencedby lohn Dewey,a famoustwentiethcenturyphilosopher.Deweybelievedthat the only worthwhileknowledgewasinformation that could be used.He consideredit pointlessto makestudentsmemorizeuseless factsthat they would quickly forget.Rather,he felt, schools should teach thinking processes and skills.Deweyalsoinfluencedteachingtechniques.Childrenleambestby doing,he said.Applyingthis ideatoday,scienceclassesinvolveexperimentation; the studyof musicinvolvesmakingmusic;democraticprinciplesare practicedin the studentcouncil;schoolproiectsencourage creativityandteamwork Childrendon't spend the dayworkingsilentlyandalone.Theyoftenworkin groups,shareideas,andcomplete proiectstogether. 7 What do Americanschoolssee as their educationalresponsibilityto students? Thescopeis verybroadindeed.Schoolsteacha lot of skills and informationonceleft
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for parents to teach at home. For example, it's common for the curriculum to include driver'seducation, cooking and sewing classes,sex education, and a campaignagainstsmoking and the use of illegaldrugs. Also, some schools try to improve children's behavior by teaching them how to control anger and settle arguments in peacefulways (a skill calledconIn some classflict resolution). rooms valuesand good character are discussed.as well. 6'
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Whatwerelohn Dewey'sideasaboutwhatandhowstuilents shouldlearn? Early Childhood Education Free public education begins with kindergarten,usually half-day classesfor 5,yearolds. At one time, the purpose of kindergartenwas to teach children to get along with each other and to get used to classroom life. Howevet today at least half of the chiloren who enter kindergarten have already had these experiencesin nursery school or daycare settings. Therefore, kindergarten teachers have taken on the iob of introducing some academics--for example,teaching letters, numbers, colors, and shapes.Still, there's a lot of time for play. 9 Most American parents want their children to attend school before the age of 5. They believe good preschools can be stimulating and valuable for children. Moreovet since most mothers have iobs, nurseryschool or day care is often a necessity.Nurseryschools serve3- to 5-year-olds,mostly in half-dayprograms.Many day'carecenterstake younger children also, and the children can stay for the whole day. Unlike many other countries, the U.S.has no national day-caresystem. Parentswho place their children in preschool programs usually pay tuition, although some of these facilities are subsidized. Many ". places of business have day-carecenters that serve the children of their employees. Many colleges and universitiesalso have day-carefacilities available for the children of their students and facul&. 8
programs Wftatthreetypesof preschoul werediscussdin thepreceding section?
CHAPTER9 o American Education:The First 12 Years
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Elementary Education
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Formalacademicwork is divided into l2 levelscalledgrades. one schoolyear(from late August or early Septemberto mid-June)is required to complete eachgrade.Aca, demic work-learning to read,write, and do arithmetic-begins when children enter first grade,at about age 6. Kindergarten,first grade,and secondgrade are commonlv called the primarygradr. I1 The first academicinstitution that a student attends is calledelementary xhoolor grammarschool.In someschoolsystems,elementaryschccl goesthrougheighth grade.In others, there is a seconddivision called juniorhighxhoolor middbschool.lt usuallyincludes grades 6*8, 5-{, or 7-9. 12 The typical schooldayis about 6 hours long and ends about 3:00p.r,,r. Classesare in sessionMondaythrough Friday.Tfaditionalvacationperiodsincludea 2-weekwinterva, cation,a l -weekspringvacation,and a 2-monthsummervacation.In addition.thereare severalI -day holidays. t5 Academic subjects include languagearts (reading,writing, spelling, and penmanship), mathematics,science,physicaleducation (athletics and studying principlesof good health),and socialstudies(mostly historyand geography).Socialstudiesemphasizesthe multicultural natureof the U.S.by stressingthe contribuiionsof groupsoverlooked in the past: women, African-Americans,Hispanics, and non-Europeans. Elementary school programsalso teach music and art if the school budget can coverthese. Computer studies are also commonly a part of the elementary school curriculum. 14 In elementary school, students are grouped into classesthat stay together for the schoolyear.In the primarygrades,the classgenerallyhas the sameteacherfor most subiects, although art, music,.an_dphysical education are usually taught by specialists in these areas. In the upper 6lementaiit giades, students in some school svstems have a different teacher for each maior academicsubiect.
Howare theupperelementarg gradesdifferentfromtfielowergrailes? High Sctrool (Seconda{y Education} '15 Americanhigh schoolshavea commitmentto offerboth a generalcollegepreparatory programfor thoseinterestedin highereducationand vocationaltrainingfor students who plan to enter the work forceimmediatelyafter high schoolgraduation.In Americanhigh schools,college-bound studentsfind the coursesthey needfor college entranceand,in addition,an opportunityto takeAdvancedPlacement(Ap)courses,for whichthey can eam collegecredit.But in the samebuilding,other studentsmay find work/ studyprograms(to eam high schoolcreditfor onthe-iob training). 16 Subiectsare more specializedin high schoolthan in elementaryschoot.Socialscienceis dividedinto Americanhistory Europeanhistory and psychology. Mathcourses includealgebra,geometryandtrigonometry.Scienceis dividedinto biology,chemistry, earthscience,and physics.Most highschoolstudentsstudya foreignlanguage. usually Spanish,French,or German.As in elementary school,healthand physicaleducation (gym)classesaregenerallyrequired.
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Studentsmove from one classroomto anotherand study each subjectwith a different teacherand a differentgroup of classmates.Many high schoolsgroup studentsaccordingto academicability and motivation. Some subiectsare offeredat two, three,or even four different levelsof difficulty. 18 The school day is very busy and very long for many high school students.Manytake five or six malor academicsubjectsas well as physicaleducation.Duringother periods, studentsmay be doing homeworkin a study hall, researchingin the school library,or participating in activities such as the school orchestra,student government,school newspaper,or math club. Many extracurricular activities-such as team sportsand dramatics-involve after-schoolpractice.Studentsactive in extracurricularactivitiesmay be at school from early morning until dinner time. However,school activitiesare important. They help students find friends with similar interests,developtheir talents, gain self-confidence,and sometimesevendiscovertheir careergoals. 17
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Whattwotypesof students musthighschools serve? Whatareextracuricular activities? School Problems and Possible Solutions The quality of a child'seducationdependslargelyon where he or shegoesto school. Facilities and resourcesvary a lot from one school district to another. In education (as in many other areas),money is both part of the problem and part of the solution. Most of the money to operate American schools comes from local property taxes.As a result, poorer communities have less money to spend on books, equipment, and teachers' salaries.All thdse factors affect the quality of education. In areaswhere the community !s stable, the funding good, and the school environment orderly, a hardworkingstudent can get an excellent education. But schools in poor neighborhoods in the nation's large cities are usually less successful.They do not always have the resourcesnecessaryto support students with special needs. For o
9 r American Education:The First 12 Years CHAPTER
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by part-time iobs,schoolactivities,W and socializing.Otirt r._:; .li) lot 1,:,' i,rup witfl their schoolworkbecauseof bmotionalproblems,drinkingor use ol iiicg.,ii,rugs,or lari, of motivation About I l"/"drop out betweenthe agesof t6 and lg 22 would publicschoolsimproveif they had more compeiilji.iill;:,..,;;-r1, ; r.;i,; l. some parents,politicians,and educatorssupport the ii!,::,i;)i r,r,.ii, ..,.j choice in selectingtheir children'sschools.One such irl;ir: ,ji,1.)1,1i! ,.,ii, S vouchers thatcanbe usedtopaypartofthetuitionata pr;,ri, .,,:,,. : iits (deductionsfrom statetaxes)havealso been providi:r.:i ll ?ri.jii,r .l i.r,;i{:.:rr:: school tuition. 23 Parentswhoaredissatisfiedwiththeregularpublics{ii,-r,;i.. ,i'iil . rr;iht-:::.,-rrJ:i,.. choosecharterschoolsor even homeschooling.Char'i*i;riri:.,1:.1r.,.,,, ,,;;..,:,,:;: i.,i mentswith theirstate boardof educationthat freethem irc;il gi.Jn.,::: ,.::i, jr, ,;:,,' ii, li placed upon regular public schools.Therefore,they are able to e,yperj,r'r,, teachingmethods.Thereare about 1.700charterscht.:r.::r. t.r l::,.,l,:;:;,,,t.-:--: numbersaregrowing.Homeschoolingisapopularmovemr-:') :irJ::,.',,,,,.i .r'rj:,.,i'j Americanchildren are taught at home. American educators and policy makers have great coniidi:ircr ii,,.i r,r.,i,,}.;,-.r{i_.ili cl;,:: provingAmerican education. About 90% of American s, 1,,,,ti,,ir,lrlt,rrrtetrrr.:i"f{_iir.,:.,. ,r,',!riri., on average, one computer for every six students. Childrcn i:r:.:! ,,;, , ;,;,,;i ',..i.;111,
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introduced to computers at home or at preschool. lmproving the school system is one of the nations g_i_:j_,,l.il-ii:ril;*i;. i;i lt,,,-;r:,: :ri;,r;i teachersand school administratorsare developing (or !"{;rL {-.li:;irtr.;l:r,:ii ;,,.::,i:r.i,::.;.:. statementsof exactlywhat childrenare supposedto learn ir da{l j;:,,i1:i{i; ,.i1,-.,; ..1r;,. ,1,1, improvingassessment-waysoffindingoutifstudentsiiavetilr:rIirir-;t.,:.ir,ro-i::il,r,:.: that evaluate students also evaluateschools.Schools wiil"r ilr..^,i-;;;i;:iii,;ii,:i.:j,..ii:.:i.,.:.. j. , to makechangesthat will lead to improvement.While.&;n*:rirari*io;r:.ri :,,: .:i,::ii:! elementary and secondaryeducation better,they are eiii:orl'dfiij,J L;;,liil,,,:r'iir::ii.i'r.rr:, ;. the nation's high school graduateschooseto contin't:,;iiiri::' fr:::r,.rlj:r-iir-;,',ii1i..; ri r::,.r.i lege or university.
Arrrn You Reeo L Getting the Message A. True or False? Reread fte sectons indicated. Thenmark eachstatement tra€{Ti#,-fais,}it r 'The Goalsand Purposeof Public Education, 1. American children must go to school until th*y gladuair: ii:+ri. i,rigi; i::i:ii*.i 2. School attendance laws are the same in everv- srarc *f tile LJ.;{" ;.
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3. Classesin Eng;lish as a second language are calieri bi.fircguai.i{i,:;{!'r}.{:r,ri!r! 4. In the u.s., parents can decide whether their cFdlcire.r-;-*'iil J:'i.i{:i,i.i,. ;:i; education or not
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5. Poorer school districts are less likely to gfivestudents classesin music anci art. 6. Most American children don't go to school in the summer.
"High School {SecondaryEducation)" 7. Amerie,ansecondaryschool students attend either a collegepreparatory high school or a vocational higlr school. 8. Most hig[r schoolsoffer coursesin social scien@,arithmetig and languagle arts. 9. Extracurricular activities alwavs meet after school. B. Which Comes Next? Numberthe followingacademiclevelsin chronologicalorder (1-6).
-
first girade
-
high school
kindergarten
-
junior high (middle school)
-
$rades3-4 nursery school
C. Why Preschool?
paragraph 9. Whataretwo mainreasons thatparentsenrollyoungchildren Reread in nursery Writea sentence abouteachreason. schoors anddaytarecenters?
ll. BuildingYour Vocabulary wordsfor thischapter. in the Theyare boldfaced A. Thesearethe15 keyvocabulary your Pronounce these words after teacher and discuss their meanings. reading. ae,ademic* commitment compulsory surriculumt elementaql
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evaluate grade* kindergarten motivation parochial
shortage specialist subsidize teamwork vocational
*t\calernbis an adjective. Acafutnits is a noun. tThe plural of curriadum is irregular. ltrs curirala. *Gradz c,anbe a noun or verb.
CHAPTER9 . American Education:The first 12 Years
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B. completethesesentenceswith someof the keyvocabulary wordson page101. Make
thenounspluralif necessary, and put eachverb intothecorrecttenseandform.
1.
involves cooperating and working together with other people. 2. Some day-care centers are by the government, which means that the government contributes some of the money needed. 3. Information and skills taught in each grade of school are the for that Srade. 4. Children must attend school. School is 5.
school is sometimes called grammar school.
6. In elementaryschool,a studentusually passesor fails an entire grade,butin high schoo| a student's work in each course (subject) is
and
separately.
7. Somehigh school students study hard becausethey know that good gradeswill hclp them $et into a good collegeor university. These studentshave a lot of for trying to get good grades. 8.
schoolsare supported by a particular reli$ous group. They teach its religious beliefs, celebrateits reli$ous holidays, and encourageprayer.
9. Due to a teacher
some school districts hire teacherswho have
had little or no training in teaching methods. 10. Before first g[adg children attend 11. A music teacheris a(n) t2.
ln muslc
training is training to do a particular job.
C. Aftereachacademic category, drawa linethroughthesubjectthatdoesntbelongin that category. Example sciences:
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chemistrSr physics
1. Mathematics:
algebra
geometr5r
chemisty
2. Socialscienccs:
history
psychologly
geography athletics
3. IanAuagearts:
sociolog
grammar
writing
4. Phvsicaleducation (Aym): swimming physics
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trigonometry spelling
team sports health
lll. SharpeningReading., Skills Analyzing Paragraphs Recognizing how the main idea of a paraglraphis developed is a useful reading skill. Some paragraphs give reasons; some explain results; some list examples; some tell about one incident; some describe; some compare and contrasl Rereadeach paragraph listed below. Then underlinethe sentencethat best describesthe paragraph. a. Tells what children do in nursery schools.
1. paragraph 9:
b. Gives reasonswhy parents send children to nursery schools.
2. paragraph18: a . Describesa typical day in the life of a high school studenl b. Argues that high schoolstudentsare too busy. 3. paraglraph19: a . Tells what's wrong with bad schoolsin the U.S. b. ContrastsAmerican schoolsin poor communities and in wealthier ones. 4. paragraph?O: a. Explains why there is a teachershortage. b. Tdks about harmful effectsof the teacher shortage
lV. Understandingldioms and Expressions ={t
7 wiffi thephrase in column 2 thatmeansthe samething in columnMatcheachexpress,bn givetheparagraphs in parentheses on theftnes.the numbers by wrttingthecorrectnumbers in whichtheexpressions areused. to; becomefamiliar with 1. cover(fg) *'- - - -- _ ''ry,-become accustomed "\ be ableto payfor 2. getalongwith (8)*e-.** a\-jt-
3. get used to (8) r( 4. ties between (4)
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connectionsto &-
not a4fuewith; have a good relationship with
5. take on (8)
V. TakingWords Apart thewordsdefined on of thesewordparts.Ihenusethemto complete Sfudyttremeanings page 104.
ts,iJ.n.*': co- : to$ether, with ,, i\ dis-, un- : flot : outsidg beyondt..r.r*..r"uJg"i-fzl: firll of, with extra-
hetero- : different -less: without
ill= : badly pr€- : before (continuedon tlu next paqe) 9 . AmericanEducation: CHAPTER TheFirst12Years
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tl P,. like (not similar to; not alike; different from) 2. point ,"fu.{4 (no goodreasonto do it) 1.
3. a. 5.
{S{-\ curricular (activities in addition to academicwork) 1"& t-r . "geneous(not all the same) i"tl
-prepared(not well-prepared)
(before kindergarten) 6. -fst-'-school (doesn't work well with others) 7. un--{"1---operative (having no use) 8. use--!:t!9. 10.
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educational(boysand girls in schooltogether) d"r,T- tike (hate or not like)
UidL , prepared(not preparedat all) (it can hurt someone) 12. n"r- 'lill 11.
Vl. PracticingSentencePatterns The Infinitive of Purpose The reading contains these two infinitives of purpose. Para$raph1 states:"To educatethis huge number of students, more than 3 teachersare employed." Paragraph5 states:"To attend a private school,a student -illio" must apply and be aerrpfteil" The infinitive phrasein each sentencestatesa goa1,and the main clausestates away of achieving that goal. Here's another example:To eam extra ruotueb,I ptan toget a,part-timejob. (my goal) (the way I plan to achieve my goal) Nowcomplefethesesentencesthat beginwith infinitivesof purpose. 1. To improve my Engflish,I 2. To getbettet grades,students 3. To encouragemore peopleto becometeachers,school districts should
UNIT3 o Levelsof Learning
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Vll. Sharing ldeas A. lssues Debatetheseissuesin smallgroups.Ihen chooseoneand writeaboutit. 1. Do bilingual education programsadvanceor slow down the academic developmentof immigrant students?Would all-day contact with American students help them more? 2. Should American public schoolseducatechildren who are in the U.S. illegally? 3. Should children who do very well in school be allowed to skip a grade?Should academicallyslow children be required to repeat a Srade(be retained or failed)? Or is it better to keep children with their agegroup even if the schoolwork is too easyor too hard? 4. Should parents who send their children to parochial schoolsreceivefinancial assistancefrom the governmenl or would that violate the constitutional requirement of separationof church and state? B. On a Pensonal Note Write aboutoneof thesetopics.
._ 1. What changeswould you recommendto improve American schools?
2. lf yorhad school-agechildreq would you educatethem at home? Why or why not? 3. C,ompareAmerican schoolsto schoolsin another country you're familiar with. Point out similarities and/or differences.In your opinion, which school sJrstem doesabetter job? Explain why.
CHAPTER 9 . American Education:The First 12 Years
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permission. All rigjhareserveej.
BrronrYou Reao Discuss 1. Why do people goto collese? 2. Do you think everyoneshouldgo to college?Why or w1,.l::;,,i' 3. In the U.S.,many collegesand universitiesare veqr expenri;,-. of moneyare availableto hefu students?
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Guess Tryto answerthe questions. Thenlookfor the answersin thereading. 1. How many institutions of higher learning are ttrere in the U.S.?Check (/) one: about 1,70O about 2,700 _ about 3,700 2. Whatpercnntage of Americans over the ageof 25 arecollegegraduates? Check (/) one: about15o/o
about2So/o -
about4SVo
Iligher Edacation in the f/.,S. Why Collegre? 'The more you learn,the more you eam,"Americansoften say.In the U.S.A.,almost all iobs that pay well require some education or technical training beyond high school. In this high-tech society,college graduatesouteam those without a college education, and people with advancedde4rees are likely to eam even more. Though some college degreesare worth more than others in the iob market, in general,education pays off. A college education is not just preparation for a career,however.In addition to taking courses in their major field of study, students enroll in elective courses.They may take classesthat help them understand more about people, nature, govemment,or the arts. Well-rounded people are likely to be better citizens, better parents, and more interesting and interested individuals. Although two-thirds of American high school graduatesenroll in college,recent high school graduates no longer dominate the college campuses. Adults of all ages return to the classroom.either for new vocational skills or for personal growth. In 1996,for example, almost 20%of American college students were over age 35. Some 500,000college students are.over 50. American faith in thevalue of education is exemplified bythe rising numberof Americans who have at least a bachelor'sdegree-Almost onequarter of Americansover age 25 arecollege graduates.Collegeattendance is not reservedfor the wealthy and the academicallytalented. It is availableto anyone who wants to go. Right now,about l5 million students are taking advantageof the opportunity. For those not academicallyprepared to handle college-levelwork, about 80%of undergraduateschools offer remedial (sometimes called datelopmentnll classesin reading,writing, and math.
Why dopeoplego tn allege? section andanAothersAoucanthinftof. Listreasnsmentioned in thepreceding
How to Find the Right CoIIege The U.S.has about 3,700institutionsof higherlearning.About 1,600of theseare 2yearschools.Morethan 2,000are 4-yearschools,manyof whichalsohavegraduatepro, grams.With so many collegesto choose from, how do prospectivestudents find the rightone for their needs?Informationabout schoolsis easyto obtainfrom schoolguidance counselors,collegeguidebooks,public libraries,the Internet,and the schools themselves. Studentscanwritefor brochuresand applications.Someschoolsevenmail out videos.Studentscan also use computer programsthat allow them to specifyparticularinterests(for a certainmaior,fype of school,areaof the country,etc.)and print out a list of schoolsthat fit their description.Most institutionsof higherlearningalso have Web sites. Many schools send college representativesto high schoolsand twoyear collegesto recruitstudents.Finally,many studentsvisit colleges,take tours of campuses,and talk to counselors. Beforeselectinga school,studentsshouldconsiderthesequestions: Doesthe school havea maior in your field of interest?Doesthis programhavea good reputation? a Are you likely to be acceptedat this school,consideringyour gradesand test scores? a Do you like that area of the country,the climate,the topography? a Which environmentdo you prefer-a big city,a small town, or a rural area? a Is it a big or a small school?Thereare advantagesto each.At a smallerschool,you may feel less lonely and confused. At a bigger school, you'll have more choices of courses,programs, and extracurricularactivities. What is most important to you? Can you afford the tuition and living expensesat this school? Could you get as good an educationelsewherefo'a lot less monev?
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WftataresomestepsUoucantafteto ftndtherigfttAmerican college? Undergraduate Education: Types of Sehools TWomain categoriesof institutions of higher leaming arepublicandprivate. All schools get money from tuition and from private contributors. However,public schools are also supported by the state in which they're located. Private schools do not receivestate funding. As a result. tuition is generally lower at public schools, especiallyfor permanent residents of that state. A third categoryis the proprietary (for-profit) school. These usually teach a particular workplaceskill. Some of these schools are quite expensive. Schools can also be grouped by the types of programs and degrees they offer. The three maior groups are community colleges, 4-year colleges, and universities. Community colleges(sometimescalled iunior colleges)offer only the first 2 years of undergraduate studies (the freshman and sophomore years).Theyenroll about 5 million students a year. Most community colleges are public schools, supported by local and / or state funds. They serve two general types of students: those taking the first 2 yearsof college before they ffansfer to a 4-yearschool for their third and fourth (funior
UNIT3 . Levelsof Learning
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10
11
t2
and senior) yearsand those enrolled in l- or 2-yeariob-trainingprograms.Community collegesoffertraining in many areas,suchas health occupations,office skills,computer science,police work, and automotive repair. What is the differencebetweena collegeand a university?Sizeis only part of the answer.Some collegeshave a student body of iust a few hundred,while some state universitiesservemore than 100,000studentson severalcampuses. A universityis usually biggerthan a collegebecausethe scopeof its programsis much greater.A universityoffers a wider range of undergraduateprogramsplus graduate srudies.Part of the responsibilityof a universityis to encourageits faculty and graduatestudentsto do research to advance human knowledge.Colleges,on the other hand, are primarily undergraduateschools.They have no obligation to conduct research. Many excellentcollegesare liberal arts schools,which meansthat they offer studies in the humanities,languages,mathematics,social sciences,and sciences.Liberalarts collegesgenerallydo not offer degreesin engineering,business,journalism,education (teachertraining),and many other specificvocationsthat a student can preparefor at a university. Somecollegesspecializein training studentsfor one occupation(asagriculturalcollegesand teachers'collegesdo). Many undergraduateinstitutions that are not called colleges also provide higher education in one specific occupation-for example, conservatoriesfor music students,seminariesfor studentsof religion,and fine arts schools for artists. For those wishing to prepare for military careers,the U.S.government maintains four military academies. At collegesand universities,the academicyear is about 9 months long (usually from Septemberuntil early Iune or from late August until May).After completing 4 academic yearswith acceptablegrades in an approved course of study, the student earns a bachelo/s degree. Some students complete college in less than 4 years by attending summer sessions.At most colleges,the academicyear is divided into either two semesters or three quarters, excluding the summer session.College grades,from highest to lowest, are usually A, B, C, D, and F (a failing grade).Generally,students must keepa C averageto remain in school.
a allegeanil a university? Whatare threedifferencps between Graduate Education 13
American universities offer three kinds of graduate degrees:maste/s degrees,Ph.D. degrees,and professional degrees (for example, in medicine, law, or engineering).In most fields, a maste/s degree can be eamed in I or 2 academic yearsof study beyond the B.S.or BA. Eaming a Ph.D. degree (doctor of philosophy) usually takes at least 3 yearsbeyond the master's.To receivea Ph.D.in most fields, students must passoral and written examinations and produce a long and comprehensive research paper that makesan original contribution to their field. In some fields,Ph.D.candidatesmust also
10. CHAPTER
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sional degrees. ln recent years, the graduate student population has become much more diverse than ever before- It now includes more women, foreign studenl! r,::,:;;,lfir,. i i r ri l P * "* bers, older students, and part-time students. Also, the variel:i; r:,iij,:,,::i:,rj j i i ri i l :l ms Offered has expanded greatly. Today's graduate students 631 q!-i4:n.i..iil-,.r. :l ',:l :,:l gf' Sde' grees in at least 1,000fields and Ph.D.sin about 100 fields.
Zrcur-*m ,Gomlmhenslon
.lr,ust Whatarefourrequirements mlst ph.D.applicants futfitLi
Life on an Arnerican Campus 15
A collegecommunityis an interestingand livelyplace.Studentsbecoriieinvolvedin many differentextracurricularactivities.Among theseare athletics,collegenev/spapers, musicalorganizations, politicalgroups,and religiousgroups..lr{an:,, ,:rii,rrps 1,..1;q,ir,rr,: havetheir own meetingplaces,whereservicesand socialactivili.,i..:ric:;,::rj lr.ir.r-ci ,.,r1legeshave a student union, wherestudentscan get together for ilinch. :,,,-:i.1.. ::assir-,ns. club meetings,and socializing. 16 On many campuses,social life revolvesaround fratemities r..;cria!.rr,'r i,-,l,-ime cases,residentialclubs for men) and sororities(similarclubs for women).ij,.,rrrr:, .:i,: ;iational groups with chaptersat many schools.Their names are Greeklettr,:,-,:. ,,;l.ir:I, as Alpha Delra phi. 17 sports are an important part of life on most campuses.Mosi r,i_-.rirrr,-,., , ;,;: ,:,1.j men'sschoolsbelong to variousathletic leagues.Teamswithin iiic:-,i-1,,,r.:iji::,,. r,,,:i r:i.:i:,i:, against one another for the leaguechampionship.Football !s':iii.: ;:r.rii*4,rr:: 1i;11i r:,i-:{1r.. arousesthe most national interest.Games,completewith student marci.aing !.1;,r;;,.is;igo cheerleaders,are maior productions.Other sports-particularly basketball.swimmlng, and track-are also pursuedwith enthusiasm.Someschoolsalso havecompelil,',,.r:i:nnis, skiing,sailing,wrestling,soccer,baseball,and golf. 18 Is it fun to be a gollegestudent in the U.S.?For most students,the cr:llege riij,i:'rare exciting and rewarding,but they are certainly not easyor carefree.iij:,ri;:i",:,",,i.r: ;,i; ,r- 1,;€.c students face the pressureof making important careerdecisions airil ;*rx!e{:3:atjf.,r; i.:i:aminationsand grades.Manystudentshaveadditional problems_-toli iitilg nir,;u*y,-r-:,.,: enough sleep,and a feeling of lonelinessbecausethey're far frorn hi:rrc lrlrci: n, .,,,, too much time at parties and get into trouble academically.still, n-rfiilr,;i,riig1.i4;;1. ir:r..,ir back on their collegeyearsas the happiesttime of their lives. hdar:vxlscgrnsll i;,,,..,, r,..:,:,,:1 loyaltyto their former schools.Throughouttheir lives,they cheeri*-:rif ;cir :,.i-ijir,,,:i ::ii:,,iletic teams, donate money to help the institution grow, and gi:,Ldr,.-ir vlrii il:i ir .,:r,,,1r-., comingfestivities.Alumni referto the schoolthey attendedas their mfnasl ri,:r.rlr;r ii-ni!:rr*; "fosteringmother").This expressionindicateshow much the cr'rlle*.,: jii:riri.-i: *];rri:r:r !i..i:::ir:li to former students_
UNIT3 r Levelsof Learning
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college Whatmaftes fun?
0Wnohradon Why is it sometimes stressful?
Financing Higher Education Collegecosts vary quite a bit, depending upon the type of school.At expensiveprivate schools,annual costs (including tuition, room, board, books, travel to and from home,etc.)may exceed$30,000.Public universitiesare much cheaper.At theseschools, tuition is significantlyhigherfor out-of-statestudents than for permanentresidentsof that state.Tuition at communitycollegesaveragesabout St ,lOO,approximatelyhalf the in-statetuition at public,4-yearschools. 20 During the 1990s,the cost of higher education rose about 7.5o/o o year.Difficulties making ends meet createseriousproblems for many students.Older studentswith a familyto support may try to work full time while carryinga full academiccourseload. Theyforget to leavethemselvestime to eat, sleep,and relax. 21 For those who need financialassistance,help is available.Thereare threemain types of financialaid: (l)scholarships(grants),which are gifts that studentsdo not repay; (2) loansto studentsand / or their parents;and (3) studentemployment(work/ study), a part-time iob that the school givesthe student for the academicyear.Most financial aid is need-based;that is, only students who need the money receiveit. Financialassistanceto excellentstudentswho do not need the money (commonlycalledmeit-basd aid)is limited. 22 Funds for all this aid come from three main sources-the federal government,state governments,and private contributors. EveryAmerican college and universityhas a financialaid office to help studentsfind out what kind of aid they might be eligible for and to assist them in completing the complicatedapplication forms. Aliens who are permanentresidentsin the U.S.are eligible for govemmentassistance,but foreignstudents are not. 19
Whataretftreefrindsof financialaid? liftemost? Wftichoneilo goutftink stuilents Standardized Tests and lteir 23
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Uss
Variousstandardizedtests help students demonstrate their knowledgeto collegeadmissions personnel. Adults who have not finished high school can take the GED (Test of General Educational Development).The GED involves five exams-writing skills, social studies, science;literature and the arts, and mathematics.The tests are availablein English,French,and Spanish.Studentscan study for the GED by takinga reviewcourse or using a review book on their own. Students who pass the test eam a high school equivalencycertificate-
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I Educationin the U.S
High schoolseniorswishingto apply to competitivecollegesand universities take standardizedtests commonly called ACTsand SATs The tests help studentsdemonstratethe ability to do collegelevel work. Most collegesuse thesescoresplus the students' high school gradesto evaluateapplicants.Thesetests are given severaltimes a yearthroughoutthe U.S.and in other countries. 1) Studentswhosenativelanguageis not Englishwill probablybe requiredto takethe (Testof Englishas a ForeignLanguage) TOEFL@ whenthey applyfor admissionto a university.Studentscan study for the TOEFL@ and many other standardizedtests by taking a reviewcourseor by workingindependentlywith a reviewbook or computerprogram. 26 Whenstudentscometo the U.S.aftercompletingsomecollegeworkin anothercountry,they should bring a transcript of previouscollegework and havethosecrediG evaluatedby an authorizedorganization. Thetranscriptwill probablyneedto be translated into English.Studentswho cannot prove that they have completedceftain college coursescan take some of the CLEP (CollegeLevel ExaminationProgram)tests to demonstratetheir knowledgeStandardizedtests are also requiredto apply for admissionto graduateschools.The counselingoffice of a student'spresent or prospectiveschool can answerquestions about requirementsfor acceptancetc graduateprograms. ztl
Whatb thegeneralpurpose of standarilizeil tcsts? Lifelong teaming 28
In the U.S.,the educationof adults is a never-endingprocessgoing on in many differentplacesfor manydifferentreasons.At least 76 million adults are enrolledin some type of classes,mostly as part-time students. The maiority of these classesare taken not for credit but for knowledgethat the student can use on the iob, to pursue a hobby, or for personalgrowth.Manyemployeestake classesat their workplace.Somecompanies pay the tuition when an employeegoes back to school to learn a skill that the company needs.Noncredit programs,commonly called adultduution or nntinuingeduution,are offered in many high schools,colleges,and museums.Thereare also private leaming centers that offer inexpensiveclassescovering a wide variety of skills and activities.A typical catalog might have classes in how to cook a Chinese dinnet invest in the stock market, improve spelling, make friends, or even give your partner a massage. Education, like everythingelse, takes advantageoftechnology. Thesedays,students can be home with the family and go to school at the same time. They can take classes in their living rooms via W. Many schools also offer distance learning-'attending" class and interacting with professorsand classmatesvia the Intemet. One 97-year-oldman eamed his Ph.D.that way! In the U.S.A.,technologyrapidlymakessome skills obsoleteand newonesessential. Workers at all levels realize that lifelong learning is necessary.Even professional people--doctors,accountants,dentists,and engineers--
UNIT3 . Levelsof Learning
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with changesin their fields.Education,on the collegecampusor elsewhere, is an im, portantelenrentin the life of an Americanadult.TheAmericandreamof becomingprofessionally and financiallysuccessful is most often achievedthroughhighereducation
Arrrn You Reao l. Getting the Message A. Different Schools, Different Rules Workwttha partner.Puta check(/) in thecolumnif the stateme nt accuratelyde scribe s that maybe true of one,two,all,or noneof theschools. Upe of school.Eachstatement Statements
Z-year college
4-year college
University
l. You can earr a B.S.
2. You can getfinancial aid to attend3. You can major in liberal arts.
4.'ftere are both public and private schoolsof this type. 5. This t5pe of school doesn't chargetuition.
B. Paragraphs That Make Contrasts Answerthesequestionsusrngcompletesentences. 1. Rereadparagraph7.Wbat two types of schoolsare contrastedhere? E4plain &e main difference between them. 2. Rereadparagiraph9. What two types of schoolsare ccntrasted here? What are trnroimportant differences between them?
Educationin the U.S1
l
ll. BuildingYour Vocabulary R. Iheseare the 15 keyvocabulary wordsfor thischapter.Theyare boldfacedin the reading.Pronounce thesewordsafteryour teacheranddiscusstheirmeanings. alumni" anxiety campus credit degree
sophomore transcript transfert tuition undergraduate
elective faculty freshman junior senior
B. Complete words.Makethe nounspluralit thesesentenceswiththekey vocabulary necessary, andput eachverb intothecorrecttenseandform. 1. A school'sbuildings and the land around them are calledthe school's 2. The first
years of college are called (in order) (first)
rhtud)
(second)
and (fourrh)
years.
3. A student who has not yet earneda bachelor's degreeis called a(n) 4. Pivate schoolsgenerally chargehigfrer
than public schools.
for a course only if he or shegets a passtng
5. Astudentearns gradein it.
6. A student who wants to get a master's
mustgioto schoolfor
at least 1 or 2 years after getting a bachelor's degree. ' I-
The peoplewho teach at a school are called its
8. Studentstake coursesin their major, and they also Ake courses. 9. The graduatesof a particular school are tlre school's 10. A(n)
is a written record of a studenfs courses,grades,and
credits. 11. Somestudents attend a community collegefor 2 years and then to a universit5z. 12. Somestudents have a lot of *Alumniis plural. The sing;ular form is alumnus. lTransfer canbe a noun or a verb.
UNIT3 . Levelsof Learning
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about tests.
C. Discussthemeaningsof these.abbreviations. Thenwritein thewords. 1. B.S.
2. B.A. 3. M.S. 4. M.A. 5. Ph.D. 6. TOEFL@
D. CheckV) the thingsthata personcan earn. 1. monev
4. ababy _
7. collegecredits _
2. a job promotion _
5. talent _
8. praise _--
3. a good grade
6. homework _
lll. SharpeningReadingSkills A. Topic Sentences Rereadtheparagraphs listedandlookfor the topic sentence in each.(Thetopicsentence states themainideaof theparagraph.)Thenwrttethe first two wordsof the topicsentence on the line afterthe paragraphnumber.
(s) (tz)
(27) (28)
B. Scanning Scanfte paragraphsindicatedto find specrl?cfacts. 1. Approximately how many collegesand universities are there in the U.S.? (5) 2. How many years of collegec,ana student completeat a community college?(S) 3. What is the higfrest (best) gradethat a collegestudent can get in a course?(72)
CHAPTER 10 . HigherEducationin the U.S.
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lV. Understanding ldioms and Expressions Use context cluesto determinethe meaningsof the italicizedexpressionsin the title or paragraphsindicated.On each blank line, write the letter of the correct definition. l.
In the chapter tttle,higher edu.cationmeans a. graduate school only b. undergraduate and graduate studies beyond high school
2. Inparagraph2, well-round.edpeople refersto peoplewho are a. knowledgeableabout many different things b. overweigfrt 3. In parafraph 4, taleingadvanqe of means a. using a goodopportunity b. using another personfor your benefit 4. Inparagraph 9, stufunt bodgmeans a. a deadstudent b. all the students at a particular school 5. In paragraph18, the Latin phrasealma mater referc to a. the school that a person'smother attended b. the school that a person attended 6. In paragraph 20, making endsmzetmeans a. tying two strings together b. being able to pay for the things you need
V. TakingWords Apart Countable and Uncountable Nouns Countablenounshave a singularand a plural form. An article or a number word can be used before *rem. tlncountabk nouns have no plural and cannot be precededby a number or by a / an. Writethe pluralof the four countablenounslrstedbelow.Writea "u" afterthefour wordsf.hat are alwaysuncountable. For thosethat haveboth countableand uncountablemeanings, g:"ir;: check(4 and write theplural. Usean ESLdicfionaryfor help. 1. activity
7. faculty
2. alumnus
8. fraternity
3. anxiety
9. freshman
4. campus
10. homework
5. credit
11. knowledge
6. education
12. tuition
UNIT3 . Levelsof Learning
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Vl. Practicing Sentence'Patterns Notice the use of the phrases too littk motuelland too nt.uchtime in paragraph 18. In these phrases, the word too means more (or less) than is needed or wanted. Before uncountable nouns such as moneq and timc, use too much or too little. Before plural nouns, use the phrases too many or toofew. Completethe followingsentenceswith the correct phrase:too many,too much,too few, or too little. 1. I can't go to the movies with you tonight. I have
2. Joehasjoined time to sleep.
homework.
school o4ianizations. He doesn't have enough
3. John spends
money on clothes. Then he has money for food.
4. Only four studentsenrolledin AdvancedStatistics543. That,s students for ProfessorEinstein to teach the course. 5. Friends are wonderfirl. A person can never have
friends.
6. A frrll-time student who also works firll-time probably has time to do homework.
Vll. Sharingldeas A. lssues Discusstheserssuesin smallgroups.Thenchooseoneand write aboutit. 1. Many crl,llegestudents take out loans to pay tuition and living expenses. Studentswho attend expensiveundergraduateand graduateschoolsmay end up with $100,000-$200,000of debt Is it a good idea to borrow that much money for one's education?What are the pros and cons? 2. Should people who ale paylng for their own or their child's collegeeducationbe given tax credits to offset someof the e4pense? 3. Is itbetter to go to collegeright after high school or to work or travel for a while first?
10 . HigherEducationin the U.5. CHAPTER
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$l ill ,,.ii
B. On a Personal Note Writeaboutoneof thesetopics. 1. Still undecided about your college major? Consult the Occupational Outloolz Handbook, a U-S. government publication. (Every American library has a copy.) Read about two careers that interest you. Then compare them. Which one seems the best choice in terms ofjob opportunities, wages, and benefits? Which one best matches your abilities and interests? Which one do you think you will pursue?
2. What are your academic and / or vocational goals? How do you expect to pursue them?
3. A sun'ey of 260,000 college freshmen revealed that 30% of them had long, tiring daily schedules and lived under great stress. What can be done to make &e years less stressful, especially for people who are trying to handle school, c.ol7ege work, and family obligtions? What techniques do you use for handlingistress and reducing anxielv?
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UNIT3 . Levelsof Learning
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Yacationln
in the Lf.S.
Honolulu, Hawaii
St. Louis,Missouri
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California SanFrancisco,
BrronrYou Reeo Discuss 1. If you could vacation anyplacnin the U.S., where would you go? 2. Whatis the most interestin$placeyou've evervisited? 3. Have you ever been to a theme park? If so, tell what you did there.
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Guess
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Try to answer the questions.Thenlook for the answersln tl"'eft:;.,r;;:; 1. What's the most popular vacation spot in the wol irll
1:
2. What three American cities have the largestpoprilaticns? List ii,:,':r;iir i,,',rer:
a.
b.
3. Why has the island of Hawaii been geningbigger in ic.,.i,.;:!
4. What is the English word for a very tall building!
Vacationing in tfu,e{/.$. Seeing ttre Sights 1
MostAmerican workersreceivean annual vacation r.:f.:l i*i:st two week with l;,.'v,and 'ri:"r and it's traditional to use this time off for travel. Americall; ',*q,i113 .::lr-:i;p,i; i1;1:,.s; 'ii: go money are freeto almost anywhere.Getting a pas$poreii .: r,.:,tri: ii r,:::'i ;.r i.,r:iions of Americans vacation abroad each 1'ear,but it's also pos.cihlcic spencia lifetime of vacations in the U.S.A.and neverrun out of variety.This ..iii,i;;iriltl:i iji,,.,.:,.r.;i,;:, lcrne {.: rhe most-popular U.S.tourist spots. i;;;1,:1!i;. Sincevacationsareusuallyfamilyaffairs, themc:,r it,r-:;':r.,1r,,i. i: r,iii ,i-;:,,*;:_, ;, ..;i., ing the summer and during the 2-weekschool bre.a$,: surr*;*l,tdingj.ilr' 1-'i1"ir"rr' i::: t:i:ij New Yea/s holidays.Theseperiods are also the rnost {i*s,iird ;itt , i. J:i:ttl.::-, ,..irJr expensivetimes to travel,so people who can, usually 'racaticnaf iri jj.:.ii !i;:i:.rl The automobild is probably the least expensiveway to travel, especiallyfcr tar-rilies. It is also fairly fust and convenient. The excellent interstate higliv,,;.1, ;j:ril{:ffi {.-.,.i.ri,:-:ri,is the nation's maior cities and makes travel easy with its rnany mntels *nqJre:;t,:r-tants. :|: Tourists in a hurry often fly to their desdnation ancJreni a cai when ! ir,::yu,,;rij i r:, ,:, ii' :',,.;,,,, Camerasinhand,Americanssightseewithgreatenthusiit::nl"i'i;i..n rlr,;,1 1.,:;:.q .,ti well equipped to bore their neighborswith snapsh*ts, slides,ancJr r:i ...ii..j,,:r_r:, :,:i:._,.,.,i, .: ii offwhere thefve been and what they've done.
Wftendo mwt Ameriun familiesgoawaAon vamtioyi?_ Visiting lbeme Parks 5
..: One important American contribution to vaca'rie;iriuii i:, ii-ii:rt-l+erirr :,.r,, parks are a variation on the outdoor entertainment complexes cailed anrnxrsemera'a p:rr!:s, which were so popular from the 1890sto the 1960s.i,ikclrail"!ijrr;.riri{::r{ , ,. , :h::t'r,,, ir3iii:i
UNIT4 . FunandGames
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havecarnivalgames,rides,shows,displays,shops that sell souvenirs,and restauranrs and food stands.But theme parkstend to be much largerand more high-techthan the older amusementparks. Furthermore,they are not iust assortedoutdoor activitiesin one location.Theyare developedaround a theme or idea,such as Americanor regional history,marine life, water sports,or Africansafaris.Many are quite educationalas well as entertaining.Theme parks have great appeal to people of all agesand are often a familys primaryvacationdestination.As a result,Americanamusementand theme parkscombinedtake in about $7 billion a year! 6 Walt Disney,the famous Americancartoonistand filmmaker,started it all in 1955 whenhe openedthe first theme park,Disneyland,near los Angeles,Califomia.lts theme is children'sstories,specificallythose that were made into Disneyanimatedfilms. Disney cartooncharacterssuch as MickeyMouseand Donald Duckare also featured. greatsuccessinspiredthe buildingof parkselsewhere 7 Disneyland's in the U.S.and Europe.Thelargestis Walt DisneyWorld,the most popularvacationspot in the world This complexcovers43 squaremilesnearOrlando,Florida.It includesfour majorthemeparks plusseveralminorones.First,there'sthe MagicKingdom,whichis similarto Disneyland. In addition to the wonderfulrides,visitors love its amazingmechanicalfiguresthat appear in manyexhibits---everything from dancing,singingbearsto a life-sized,gesturing, speech-givingAbraham Lincoln. The second park, Epcot Cenier,contains two main sections: Future World highlights technologiesof the future; World Showcasefeaturesthe architectune, crafts,food, and entertainmentof I I nations. The third park, Disney-MGM Studios, has Hollywood movie-making as its theme. The newest park-Animal Kingdom-has about 1,000animals,includingsomerareand endangeredones.TheWalt Disney World complex includes four lakesand about 100restaurants.lt's impossible to see and do everythingin Walt DrsneyWorld, even in severaldays.A visitor needstwo important things-a pair of comfortable shoes and the patience to stand in long lines. 8 Disneyis not the only Americancompanyin the theme park business.Six Flagshas l4 theme parksand 3 water park acrossthe U.S.Six FlagsGreatAmerica (near Chicago) has two themes-regions of the U.S.and comic strip characters.Six Flagsover Texas(in Arlington, Texas)focuses on the history of Texasand the U.S. Many theme parks are combinations of amusement parksand zoos. In some (such as GreatAdventure in Jackson, New fersey,and BuschGardensin Tampa,Florida),animals roam freely on huge areasof land and tourists drive or ride trains through the tenitory. Marine animal theme parks (such as Sea World in Orlando, Florida, and San Diego, Califomia) have live dolphin shows.Around the country,there are many smallertheme parks built around water activities, where swimmers can cool off on water slides and in wave pools.
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What'sa themeparft? Wftatarexme ilifferenttApesof themeparfrs?
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Sightseeing in the Eastern Cities It
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The nation's maior cities are among the most popular tourist attractions.New York City,with a population exceeding7 million, is the largestcity in the U.S.With a magnificent natural harbor and more than 500 miles of waterfront,it is also the largestport in
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CHAPTERI1 . Vacationingin the U-5.
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the world. The city has five sections,calledborougfrs. The best-known,and in manyways most important,boroughis Manhattan,the commercial,cultural.and financialcenter of the city. Manhattanis an island connectedto the other boroughslBrooklyn,the Bronx,Oueens,and StatenIsland)by bridges,tunnels,and ferries 10 All year touristscrowdthe streetsand hotelsof Manhattan.Theyvisit the skyscrapers,particularlythe EmpireState Building,one of the tallest skyscrapers in the world. Its 102floors reacha heightof 1,250feet (381meters).Touristsvisit museumsand art galleries,shcp in the city'sdepartmentstoresand specialtyshops,and dine in elegant restaurants.Other attractionsare the United Nations building, the New york StockEx, change,RockefellerCenter,and the MetropolitanOpera.This world-famousoperacompanyperformsat LincolnCenterfor the PerformingArts,a group of buildingsthat also housesconcerthalls,theaters,and the luilliardSchoolof Music,Drama.and Dance. 11 Live entertainmentis plentifulin New YorkCity.ln addition to its many nightclubs for musicand comedy,the city is the nation'smost importantareafor theater.playsperformed"on Broadway"(in the largermidtownManhattantheatersnearthe streetcalled Broadway) often involve famous playrurights,producers,and performers,Smaller"offBroadway"theaters feature less well known actors and sometimes more experimental productions. 12 New York City is also the home of a famous symbol-the Statue oi Liberty.This enormousfigure of a woman has been standingin New York Harborsince 1886.lt was designed by two Frenchmen-the exterior by Fr6d6ric-AugusteBartholdi and the interior by Alexandre-GustaveEiffel (creator of the Eiffel Tower in Paris)-and given to the United Statesbythe Frenchgovemment.The Statueof Liberty is one of the largeststatues in the world. Its height (from the tip of its torch to the baseof the pedestal)is about 305 feet (93 meters),and its weight exceeds200 tons ( lSl,8l8 kg).The statue symbolizesAmericanfreedomand opportunity.Yearsago,it welcomednearlyallAmerican immigrantsas they arrived in the United Statesby ship. Today,tourists take a l5-minute ferryboat ride to Liberty Island to get a closer look at the figure. Some even take the long climb up the stairs inside the statueto reachthe viewingplatform below its crown. 13 Vacationersinterested in American history and government find the eastern part of the country fascinating.tn Washington,D.C.,the nation's capitat, visitors can watch Congressin action in the Capitol,attend a sessionof the SupremeCourt, and tour the White House, the home of the president.The Smithsonian Institution, with its many museums and art galleries,offers much of historical interest. Its exhibits include gowns of the First Ladies and the Wright brothers' first airplane. In Washington,there are also magnificent monumenb to see. Most impressive are the memorials honoring presidents Washington,fefferson,Lincoln,and FranklinDelano Roosevelt. 14 One sad but beautiful monument is the Vietnam VeteransMemorial. lt is a V-shaped blackgranite wall bearingthe names of 58,000Americanskilled or missing in Vietnam. It was designed by a young Chinese-Americanarchitecture student named Maya Un. 15 ForAmericanhistorybuffs,the Easthas other interestingcities as well. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is the site of the building wherethe U.S.Constitutionwas signedin 1787. Boston, Massachusetts,has many colonial landmarks.In Virginia, there is colonial Williamsburg,with its 88 restoredeighteenth-and early-nineteenth-century buildings
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and hundredsof costumed"residents"dressedin clothing typical of the Revolutionary period.
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lComindsr&n Whatareslme structures of histnrical interestin the East? Visiting the Midwest Chicago,long known as the "SecondCity,"becarrrethe nation'sthird-largestcity in terms of population in 1982,when LosAngelessurpassedit. With a populationof almost 3 million, Chicagoremainsthe largestcity in the Midwest and the most interestingone as well. Touristscome to Chicagoto visit its many fine theaters,restaurants,museums, along lake Michigangivesvisitorsa scenic and stores.Thecitys Outer Driveexpressway view of the beaches,harbors,parks,and skyscrapers.The ci!y's most famous skyscraper is SearsTower,the tallest building in the U.S.-1,454 feet (443 meters)hieh. Chicagois also famous for its modem architectureand impressiveworks of outdoor sculpture by intemationally known artists, including Pablo Picassoand AlexanderCalder.Other major attractions are the Museum of Scienceand Industry,with its exhibits showing applications of scienceto industry and BuckinghamFountain, the worlds largestlighted fountain, which is a beautiful multicolored sight on a summer evening. 17 St. Louis, the largestcity in Missouri,is on the west bank of the Mississippi,the nation's longest river. During the 1800s,St. Louis was considered the gatewayto the West. Today,tourists visiting the city cannot miss the beautiful GateweyArch {the nation's tallest monument), designedby Eero Saarinen.Rising 630 feet (192 meters),it dominates the ci!y's skyline.Inside the arch, there are small cars that carryvisitors to the top. t8 On the western edge of the Midwest, in a section of the country often called the Great Plains,is South Dakota,home of Mount Rushmore.Here,carvedinto the rocksare enormous heads of four great American presidents: Washington, Jefferson,Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt.The headsare so big that they are visible from 62 miles away! 16
mentioneil in this*ction. Nametfireeverylargestructures Visiting tlre South 19
One of the most popularAmerican vacation states is Florida. Its tropical climate and beautiful sand beaches make it a year'round vacationland. Florida is ideal for water sports and for sightseeingas well. BesidesWalt Disney World and other theme parks, tourists come to see the Everglades,one of the largest and most interesting swamp areasin the world, with its many unusualplants and birds; the fohn F KennedySpace Center on Cape Canaveral;and St. Augustine, the oldest permanent European settle' ment in the U.S.A.
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CHAPTER| 1 . Vacationingin the U.S.
New Orleans,Louisiana,a port city with exoticappeal,is locatedon the Mississippi Rivernear the Culf of Mexico.lt containsmanv remindersof Old Europeand the Old South. The famous FrenchOuarter,the Mardi Cras festival,and the Creoles(Frenchspeakingdescendants of earlyEuropeansettlers)all givethe citl,an internationalflavor. New Orleansis the birthplaceof iazzand also celebratesanotherform of uniquely Americanmusic-"Dixieland."
El cr,..ivn* 'What Compiblenslon
arefourfamoustouristsitesin Florida?
Westward, Ho! 21
The West attracts tourists with vastly different tastes.The Rockylv,lountains of Coloradodraw skiersand snowmobiiers. Thecasinosand nightclubsof LasVegas,Nevada, attract vacationerswho enjoy gambling and big-nameentertainment.And the national parks in the West are a popular destination for vacationersinterested in beautiful scenery,natural wonders,and wildlife. The Grand Canyon in Arizonaattractsabout 5 million visitors a year.Its huge,colorful rock formations are 277 miles long, l7 miles across,and more than a mile deep at the lowest point. The nation's largestnational park-Yellowstone--
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Alaska,an amazingland of contrasts.To startwith, it is the largeststatein landareabut one of the smallestin population.It is more than twicethe sizeof Texas,but its population is only about 600,000. About 54,000of its residentsare of Asiandescent-lnuits (Eskimos)and Aleuts.Alaska'sclimateand geographyare also quite varied.lts sights includesmokingvolcanoes,grassyplains,rain forests,about 3 million lakes,100,000 glaciers,and many high mountainsincludingMount McKinley,the highestmountain in North America.In some areas,the winter temperaturecan go down as low as -80" F (-{2' C). In the northemmostpart of Alaska,the sun doesn't set for 80 days in the summer; and for 50 days in the winter,it doesn't rise. Understandably, tourists tend to visit Alaskain the summet when they can enjoythe milderweatherand endlessdaylight.
An Alaskan glacier
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Hawaii lies in the PacificOceanabout 2.000miles west of the U.S.mainland. It is made up of 20 tropical islands,including8 major ones.The most denselypopulatedisland is Oahu,wherethe capital city of Honolulu is located.Oahu'sWaikik Beach,lined with hotels and apartmenthouses,is an intemational tourist affraction.The scenicisland of Hawaii,almost twice the sizeof the others combined,has tall mountain peak, forests,waterfalls,and the worlds most activevolcano (Kilauea).Since1983,this island has grown more than 70 acres,thank to the lava flow from Kilauea.The nation's fiftieth state has a diversepopulation,including many residentsof fapanese,Filipino,and Chinesedescent.
anil Hawaii. theclimatcsin Alasfta Compare Planning a Vacation 27
Whenplanning a vacation,what do peoplewant most?A changeof scene.Folkswho live in small towns or rural areasare eagerto see big cities.On the other hand,for this
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l1 . Vacationingin the U.S. CHAPTER
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nation'surbanpopulation,the changeof scenedesiredmay be orp::r'::,-.-,, ture,the greatoutdoors.Thereare manywaysto enjoy natul, (and usuallycrowded)nationalparks.Somefamiliesrent summe-:!:.,iii.:ril, ming and boating facilities.Some camp out (sleepoutdoc;:; ir Lc,;J: r,: houseboatand cruisedown the Mississippi.Duderanchesin tho ril,'i:{:,
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and good meals,alongwith accessto tennis,golf,swimmingfeiiiiir.r,,. ..,: spaces. ,:i ,::,,. 28 Howcan one plan the perfectvacation?Guidebooksand traveiifli?{r,:,:,ir,Statetourist bureauswill gladlysend information.Ttavelagenii: :;,1,: :,: , , : with adviceand reservations. But the besttraveltips of all probau:,..:,..,, i, j .: ., mouth,from peoplewho havebeenthere.So, if you'replanningan Arie i i..,-jt.: , r,-. askAmericansabout their favoritespot.You'llget an earful,slnno rr.;th,',:r-::c, .., photos to look at.
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ArrenYou Reeo l. Getting the Message A. ff you wantedto see thesetouristattractions, v,there wouldlou grJ: :':.,.t:-l,t* itdtfl€af z; cttyor state.Forsome,ftere is more thanone answer.Lookbackjs,lit,: ;. . -, ,. ., ' , , if necessary. 1. the tallest building in the U.S.: 2. trees among the tallest on Earth: 3. a Slacier: 4. thLeStatue of Libertv:
5. a Mardi Gras carnival: 6. the Gateway Arch: 7. the Kennedy SpaceCenter: 8. the world's most active volcano: 9. a colonial city:
10. a dolphin show: B. Rereadparagraph25. Findthree Naskancontasts mentjon*!:i them. 1. ). 3.
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C. Accordingto paragraph27, whatis the most importantbenefitthatmost Americans look for whentheygo on vacation?
ll. BuildingYourVocabulary A- Ihese are the 15 key vocabulary wordsfor this chapter.Theyare boldfaced in the reading.Pronounce thesewordsafteryour teacherand discusstheirmeanings. n.amusement architecture destination r gambling t glacier
q,.filofltrfir€Ilt
passport 1 sculpture l souvenir spectacular
4statue r surrounding { theme tourist volcano
B. Completethesesentenceswithsomeof thekey vocabulary words.Makethe nounsplural if necessary. 1. The
of Liberty is a very large figure of a woman.
2. The Statue of Liberty is on Liberfy Island, so there is water it. 3. A statueis a(n)
a. A(n)
of a human being or an animal. mightbe sculpture or architecture. It is built to
rememberand honor someoneor someevenl ). This plane stops in Philadelphia,but its final 6. There are
is Boston.
inboth Alaska and Hawaii.
7. Las Vegas,Nwad4 is the place to go ifyou like 8. Beforethe 1950s,the U.S.had
parks with rides and games,
but the activities were not tied togetherby a common theme. 9. Disney World's Ma$c Kingdom is a(n)
park with children's
storybook and film characterstyin$ to$ether most of the activities. 10. Did you bringihome a lot of
from your trip to New York?
C. T\vo more homonJrursare capial and capitaLUse capinlwhen \^niting about the buikling where statelawmakers meeL Use Capinl for the building in which the U.S. Congfressmeetsin Washington,D.C. U* capinlfor all other meanings. Nowwritethecorrectwordin eachsentence. 1. Every state in the U.S. has its own its government.
city, which is the seatof (continuzd on the nact page)
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CHAPTERI I . Vacationingin the U.5.
2. Washington,D.C.,is the 3. Congress meetsthere in the
of the U.S. alarge white building with a
domedtop. 4. Note that the word Capitol begins with a
letter.
lll. SharpeningReading Skills A. Making Inferences Whatis suggested in eachof thesepassages? 1. The last sentence inparagraph 7 tells the reader to wear comfortable shoes to
walt Disney world. what is implied (suggested, hinted at) by that advice? 2. In the last sentencein paragraph23, the authors mention a $3,000suit. what ate they implying about RodeoDrive?
3. In the last sentenceof paragraph23,whatare the authors implying about the tJryicalAmerican tourist?
B. Map-Reading Practice 1. Ona map of the U.S., point outCalifornia,Florida,the Atlanficand PacificCoasts,the Mississrbpi River,theGreatLakes,the stateof washington, and washington, D.c. 2. Ona map of the wodd, locateAlaskaand Hawaii.Whereis Alaskain relationto Canada?
lV. Understandingldioms and Expressions Usetfiefollowing expressions to complete thesentence s below.Thenumbers in parentheses givetheparagraphs in whichfte expressions are used.Puteachverbintothecorrecttense andform. *First Lady (13) {, time otr (1) { as well as (5) (21) get big-name ( q an earful 23) word of mouth (28) l a change of senne{27) r show off (a) ^ l. Everyone enjoys going away on vacation becauseit provides a(n) 2. My friend told me to visit Florida. I got the advice to go there by
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3. In New York Cify, I saw the Statue of Liberty the Empire State Buiiding. 4. I don't have to work tomorrow morning. My boss gave me some
5. The wife of a U.S. presidentis calledthe 6. A(n)
entertainer is someone famous and
verywell-known. 7. John drove to our house to 8. When I visited Aunt Marv.
his new car. about her
recent trip.
V. TakingWords Apart A. Compound Word Hunt In this chapter,there are more than 30 compoundwords. A compoundwordismade up of two completewords. Erample sidewalk (side + walk)
wildlife (wikl + life)
Workingwithtwo ctassrnates,scanthearticle(in 6 minttes)and seehowmanycompound wordsyou can find. Put eachgroup'slist on the board,and seewhichteamfoundthe most words.Thenpronounceand dlscussthe meaningsof the words.Comparetlrc meaningof eachcompoundwordwih the meaningsof the wordsusedseparately.Note,for example, ftatwildfife (a compoundwordJhasa qiite differentmeaningfrom wild life (tuo words). B. The Prefixes inter-, intra-, and sgbStudytfre meaningsof theseword parts.Ihen discussthe answersto the questionsbelow witha partner. inter- : between, among sub- : under, below, stightly
intra- : within
1. Wonld anintercity bus line travel within one city orbetween different cities? 2. Would a ship called a submarinctravel under ttre water or only on top of it? 3. What kind of weather would you expectin a vhtropiral re$ofr 4. What's the difference between an intrastate and an interstatehighway?
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Vl. Practicing SentencePatterns Superlativestatementstell aboutsomethingthat is the mast,best,l.east, l.vii/.iJ,j.?llr..ri and so on of a groupof things,animals,or peoplaMany superlafii.t,rr{itfi:i-i:'.-ii.:,r.,rr, in this chapter,includingexamples in paragraphs3,7, 10,lZ, 7G,lT, Ig, Z\. Li,:ai.i, 25. and28. 1. Writedownfiveof thesestafements on a separatepieceof paper.Putthemintotwo groups:thoseustngthe shortpattern(thetalles0and thoseusrngff,t ;iri:-:r,.,,ir-.,:, i':r:i: mostinteresting or the leastinteresting). 2. Writeyour own superlative sentences, onein each pattern. short pattern: long pattern:
Vll. Sharing ldeas A. lssues Debate theseissuesin smallgroups.Thenchoose oneandwriteabat:iil. 1. What'sthe main purposeof a vacation?Shouldit provid* res! fur. ,:ew experiences, or some*ring! else? l.
Ilnafl,ne this family a4fumenl TheJohnson family is trying to plan a rrdirl;r vacation. Dadwants to go skiing in Colorado. Mom wants tetJi.,:r.i; ii1r,i:r.::irtr southem Florida The teenagedaughter wants the family t{i tr.:i;::i,4i:,,:ir;,i: f,, .,,1 canpracfren her Spanish.The teena$eson wants to stay h
B. On a Pensonal Note
Writeaboutoneof thesetopics. g1.r 1. Vacationscanbe divided into two tnain types:seeingor doing. V"rhii,:l: -'i,r,r prefer-sigfttseeing or goingsomewhereto e4joy someacfivip;!]f;,r";rr)* iril-i;tii,..1 involve both- Describea vacation you took or plan to take in tenns oi scri;i:": and/ ot doing. 2. Tell about the best vacation you ever had. 3. Readabout aplacn,you'dlike to visit in the U.S. Look in e**yt1+piCi*r, guidebooks,and travel magazines.Write about what intcrc$f$ ',:c,uihr: ;i'i*ri about this place.
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Leisrlre-Time Activities TEIE S.ATU\DAY
Norman Rockwell'spainting, "Be a Man"
BrronrYou RrRo Discuss 1. What are your favorite leisure-time activities? 2. C,omparebaseballand tennis. In whatways are they similar? How are they different? 3. What are somenoncompetitive sports?
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Tryto answerthe questions. Thenlook for the answers in thereading. 1. what's the most popuiar form of exercisein the u.s. today?check (/) one: golf swimming walking 2. Approximately how long is a standard marathon race?check (/) one: 10 miles 26 miles 40 miles 3. what do all thesehave in common: cars,bicycles,horses,dogs,and pigs?
Leisare-Time Activitie s 1
At one time, leisure meant resting,relaxing,doing nothing,sitting on the front porch swing and watching the world go by.Today,however,mostAmericans crowd a lot of activities into their so-called leisure time. They may perform these activities to become physicallyfit, learn something new, do something creative,bring the family closer together,or havea great adventure.Having fun, of course,is another goat. But manyAmericans take their leisure pursuits quite seriously; they hope these activities will enrich their lives in some way.
The Big Tbree of Ame$can Team Sports 2
Team sports appeal to Americans' love of socializingand competing. The most popular team sports in the U.S.A.-baseball, football, and basketball-are both spectator sports and participatory sports. Boys and girls begin playing softball (a game similar to baseball but with a bigger softer ball) when they are about 9 or t0 years old. In high school and college, football and baseball are played primarily by boys and men, and basketball is played by both sexes. 3 Baseballis often calledthe nationalpastime.Peoplefrom othercountriessometimes wonder why Americansenioy this sport so much. "lt's dull," they say...Mostof the time, the playersare iust standing still, waiting for someoneto hit the ball.'And that's true. But hitting that ball is quite a challenge.A pitch thrown by a professional pitcher usually travels more than 90 miles ( | 45 kilometers) an hour. Hitting a ball thrown that fast is a difficult challengefor any athlete, so when a batter hits the ball out of the ball park (a home run!), the fans scream and cheer.The professional baseball seasonends with the World Series, seven games played between the nation's top two teams. As with championshipfootball, fans sometimespay hundredsof dollars for a ticket to a World Seriesgame. But those that watch the games at home on W probably see them better.
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Football involvesknockingdown a playerwho is trying to carry the ball down the field.Althoughplayersweara'lot of paddingand other protectivegeat iniuriesarefairly common. Versionsof the game that involve less physical contact-flag football and touch football-are played by teams enioyingthe sport iust for fun and exercise. As a spectatorsport, football is extremelypopular especiallyamong men. Women sometimescall themselves"football widows"because,during the football season,their boyfriendsor husbandsare either at the stadium or glued to the TV set. Both college football (playedon Saturdayaftemoons)and professionalfootball lplayeCon Sunday afternoonsand Monday nights) attract huge audiences.At the end of the collegefootball season,the best teams compete in Bowl games.The day's festivitiesare colorful and exciting, involving paradeswith floats and marching bands. Bowl games attract huge crowds and big W audiences.The professionalfootball season ends with the SuperBowl,the game betweenthe country'stop two teams.More than 130million people worldwide watch it on TV.lt is the most watchedTV show in the world. Becauseof this huge audience,advertiserspay about 52 million for a 30-secondadvertisement! is not what Europeanscallfootball.To AmerNote that the gameAmericanscallfootball Soccetthe world's most popular sport, the national sport of icans,that game is soccer. most Europeanand Latin Americancountries,has not been a great successin the U.S. as a professionalsport. Howevet it is one of the fastest-growingteam sports in U.S.elementaryand high schoolsand is also a popular collegesport. While baseballand footballare playedoutdoors (or in huge enclosedstadiums),basketball is the world s most popular indoor sport. Variations of the game are also played informally outdoors. Nearly everypark in the U.S.has a basketball net and hard-surface playing area, and many American homes have a basketballnet outdoors. In the U.S. there are 29 professicnal men'steams. In addition, women's professional basketballhas been growing in popularity. Basketballis also played competitively by hieh school and college students. professional basketball players make almost impossible shots look easy and graceful. MichaelJordan,the formerChicagoBulls player,becamefamousworldwidebecause of his achievementson the basketballcourt. lordan's l3-yearcareereamings(his salary for playingplus earningsfor endorsingproductsin ads) exceeded$300million! Is it any wonder that almost everytall American boy hopes to grow much taller and eventually play professional basketball?
in the U.S-? Whatare the threemostpopularteamsports gamesanil theSuperBowI? betweenBowl Whafsthe dif{erence Otltq Popular Sports 9
Americans know that athletics is good for the body and the mind. Thosewho are serious about exercisingcan find all kinds of activities to do, everythingfrom winter sports to water sports. Some are safe,tame, and not very strenuous. Others require speedand great endurance.Some even require courage.ManyAmericans spend a lot of money on
Activities CHAPTER12 . Leisure-Time
IT
equlpment and instructionto participatein sports they enioy.Others talk about exercising more but neverget around to it. ' t0 One sport that can be playedfrom about age l0 to l l0 is golf This popularsport is played all year except when the ground is coveredwith snow. Doctors highly recommend it for mild exercise,and they often practicewhat they preach."Don't get sickon a wednesday,"people joke.Thats doctors' traditional day off, and supposedlythey,reall on the golf course.The achievementsof Americangolfer TigerWoods havebeenan inspiration to golferseverywhere.He won the MastersTournamentin 1997,at the age of 2l, and is still ranked the world's best golfer. He's also a one-man representativeof Americanmulticulturalism.His ethnic backgroundis a blend of African-American, Native American,Chinese,European,and Thail t1 Another sport that is not extremelystrenuousand appealsto a wide age range is bowling.About 43 million people bowl in the u s. Many bowling leagues lgrou[s of teams that compete againsteach other) are formed by coworkersor membersof community organizations. Tennis,p|ayedbymi|lionsthroughouttheworld,isalsopopu|arintheU.S.|tis playedall year,indoors or out, and providesa veryvigorousworkout.When two people are playingagainsteachothet it's called singles; when four play {two teams of two players each),rt's callcCdoubles. As with other maior sports,top professionaltennis players win a lot of money and becomefamous. 13 Americans also enioy winter sports on snow or ice. Skiing attracts both indMduals and families. (lt's not unusualto see 4-year-oldsstarting their skiing lessons.)In flatter areasof the country, "mountains"are artificiallycreated and coveredwith artificial snow. Skiers also go to resorts with real mountains in places such as Aspen, Colorado. Iceskating, indoors and outdoors, is also popular. Hockey (the national sport of Canada)is a popular team sport for boys in the U.S.,too. Cirls, however,are more likely to enioy figureskating (doing variousdifficult maneuverson ice). 14 The newest categoryof sports is called extremesporfs. These are risky activities involving speed, high skill, and danger.They include daredeviltricks on snowboards,skateboards, and bicycles;parachute jumps off bridges or cliffs; bungee iumping; barefoot waterskiing; and skydivlng. Most Americans consider extreme sports enthusiasts extremely foolish. However,others see them as carrying on the traditional pioneering,adventurous spirit that enabled Americansto conquer a wildemess.
0 Whataresomeimportnntilifferences golfand tennis? between Exercise and the Gr:eat Outdoors Some people get their exerciseat health clubs, which have exerciseequipment and exerciseclasses.Othersequip their homes with treadmills and weightsto work out in their bedroom or family room. 16 Can people exercisewhile sitting down? Of course! They can use stationary bicycles 15
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or regularbicycles(nearlyeveryAmericanchild hasone).Othersit-downoutdoorsports snowmobiling,and ridinga wave-runner(on water). are motorcycling, 17 Can one exercisewithout expensiveequipment?Yes,indeed.Walking,running,and ioggingare also popular waysof keepingfit. In fact,walkingis the most popular form of exercisein the U.S.Someshoppingmallsopen earlyto allow membersof walkingclubs to exerciseand window-shopat the sametime. Beforegoing to work,many Americans go iogging,using park trails or just runningaround the block.Runnerswith greatendurancecan enter marathonraces(approximately26 miles, or 42 kilometers,Iong). t6 Some Americanswant to get away from urban life and get backto nature.Theygo hiking,camping,boating,or fishing.Theyenioywaterskiingon a quiet lakeor scubadiving in the ocean.And some,despitethe disapprovalof animal lovers,communewith natureby huntingsmallanimals(suchas ducksand rabbits)or largeones (suchas deer and bear).About l6 million Americansget hunting licenseseachyear.Finally,many Americansenioy the greatoutdoorsat home by takingcareof their lawnsand gardens.
Z* r *
. What are sl:ne activitiesto get exerciseand enioy the outdoorsat the sametime?
Live Entertainment
for Every Taste
In 1996,while Americansspent $6.4billion to attend sportingevents,they spent another $9.3 bill,on on theater,opera, and classicalmusical performances.Rock music concertsalso attract millions of people,especiallyduring the summer,when manyconcerts are held in huge gutdoor areas. Many Americans are ^rot satisfied to be merely spectators and listeners. Amateur performances, many of excellent quality, can be found all over the U.S.on any weekend.Theatergroups, orchestras,and bands easilyget enough volunteersto produce fine music and theater for the local community at very reasonableprices. Entertainmentinvolvinganimals is popular in many places.Most biggercities have 20 zoos and aquariums.Circusestravel around the country bringing excitementwhen they come to town. And then there are rodeos,a form of entertainment popular in the American Southwest, Latin America, and Australia. Among other activities at rodeos, cowboys (and cowgirls) demonstrate their skills by climbing atop wild horses and bullsfor very short rides! 21 Animals also provideentertainmentand an opportunity to lose moneyquicklyat the racetrack Americans race horses,dogs, pigeons, even pigs! Racesare just one common form of gambling in a country with a great many other opportunities to do so. Fifty years ago, racetracksand Nevadacasinoswere almost the only forms of legal gambling in the U.S.Today,37 states have lottery games, and 22 states have gambling casinos on Native American reservations.Many states have riverboat gambling casinos.There is also informal gambling among friends and coworkers,including bets on maior sporting eventsor Fridayeveningpokergames.Altogether gamblingin the U.S.is a multibilliondollar industry. 19
CHAPTER12 . Leisure-TimeActivities
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A
Z ,*.* roun
Oomlrehenslon Namesomeplaceswherepeoplecango to seeanimalsin action.
# {
Picture 22
and Sound
By far the most popularleisure-timeactivityis watchingtelevision.Thereis at least one TV set in 98%of Americanhouseholds,and many have two or three.About g2/oof Americanhomes havea videocassetterecorder(VCR),which is capableof recordingand playingbackTV showsor movies. 23 What'son TV?Afternoon programmingconsistsmostly of game shows,talk shows, and never-endingdramascommonly called soaplperas.For children, daytime 1y offers cleverprogramsthat educatewhileentertaining. Thereare also a lot of cartoons.At dinner time, newsis broadcast.Eveningentertainmentconsistsmostlyof situationcomedies (sitcoms),which portraysomeaspectof life (families,singles,seniors,and so on) in a humorousway. Thereare also movies,adventureshows, dramas.and vanous weeklyshowswith the samecast of charactersand generaltheme but a differentstory each week. 24 For those who want more W than the free stations provide, cable1y is availablein most parts of the country.To receivecable TV,one must pay a monthly subscription fee. Wires are attached to the W set to enable the subscriber to receivethe cable broadcasts.Cable channels tend to specializein one type of program. There are stations for news,sports,movies,music videos,business,health,history and the arts. 25 TV,at its best, is entertaining and educational. However,there are two problems: Most viewerswatch too much, and the quality {especiallyon the free stations) is often poor. How much is too much? Studies indicate that the averageAmerican watchesW about 28 hours a week. (Childrenwatch about 20 hours; older women are up to 42 hours.) According to one study in 1950,American l4-year-olds had a vocabularyof 25,000words, but today's children the same age know only t0,000 words. The reasonfor the decreasemay be that TVtakes up a lot of leisure time kids once spent reading.Technology will continue to offer consumers bigger TV screens and clearer pictures at affordable prices. Moreover,W of the future will be more interactive. (Viewerswill have more control over the action.) Better technical quality may encourageviewersto watch even more-and, some say,become even less physically fit and more ovenveight. 26 And what about quality? On the commercial networks especially,many shows are silly, trite, in poor taste, or extremelyviolent. By the age of 18,the typical American has seen 40,000killings on TV and in movies combined. Does all this fake bloodshed cause some teens to commit real violent crimes? Some people think theres a connection. American TV has eamed the insulting nicknames"boob tube" and "idiot box." But for those who want to avoid either too much W or bad TV,the solution is simple: Click the "off'button. 27 Moviesare anothercommonsourceof entertainment,viewed in theatersorat home. TV stations show movies, and there is a store that rents videotapes or DVDs in iust about everyneighborhood.Americansconsumemovies in great quantities,and movie
UNIT4 . Fun and Games
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stars become public idols. Once a year,the movie industry givesout a whole seriesof honorsto movie-makers. Nearlya billion peopleworldwidewatchthis televisedawards presentation-the AcademyAwards. 28 Other popular sourcesof entertainmentare recordingsand radio.Salesof recordings in all forms (compactdiscsand audiocassettes) exceed$ l2 billion annually,with compact discs by far the most popularmedium.Radio,too, has its placein the American entertainmentscene.It'sa greatcompanionin the cat on the treadmill,or on the jogging trail.
Z c**t*n
What are someproblemswith AmericanTY? ComEmlemlonln qour opinion,what'sgoodaboutit?
Leisure for tearning, Collectin$ and Creating No, radio and W havenot made readingobsolete. Nor is it true that Americansget all their news from radio or television.Readingis still an important leisure-timeactivity. The U.S.A.has about 1,800daily newspaperswith a total circulationof about 60 million. The country also produces thousands of magazines ar,d iour:als-weeklies, monthlies,and quarterlies.Someare of generalinterest.Others are directedat people in a specificgroup based upon age, religion,occupation,or interests.Bookstoresare thriving, too. The latest trend is toward the large bookstore that is much more than iust a place to buy book. Customerscome for lectures, workshops, and coffee.They bring the family, and everyone browses.They meet the author of a new mystery or how-to book. Libraries are also very busy becausethey offer a great deal to keep userscoming back. Most libraries have computers equipped with the latest softwareand Intemet access.And today's libraries also offer a wide variety of programs for all ages-from storytelling paiama partiesfor young children to traveloguesfor adults on the go. Americans visit libraries about three times as often as they go to movies. 30 Besides reading, there are endless numbers of hobbies that are not strenuous. Stamp collectors, coin collectors, Internet surfers,photographers, doll house furniture builders,painters,iewelrymakers,orchid growers,and many othersbecomeskilledin a particular activity. Many hobbies have magazinesand Internet groups devoted to their field. 29
stillreaila is therethatAmericans Whateviilence 3't
L,eisure-timeactivities probably define a person as much as his or her occupation does. Americans tend to begin and continue friendships with people who enioy the same leisure pastimes.After all, mountain climbers don't have much in common with stamp collectors.
CHAPTER12 . Leisure-Time Activities
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ArrsnYou Rreo l. Getting the Message A. Underline thephrasethat meansthe sameas theone quotedfrom thereading.The numbersin parentheses give theparagraphs in whichthephrasesare used. 1. "spectatorsportsand parficipatory sports,,(2) .@ sports to watch and sports to play b. team sports and individual sports 2. "professionalbaseball"(3) @ piayedby teamsthatgetpaid to play b. playedfor enjo;rment 3. "physical contact" (4) a. runningialot ft touching eachother 4. "endorsingproducts" (8) a. buSnngparticular products fh *y-g in an ad that the particular products are good 5. *Is it any wonder?" (8) S. ft shouldn't reallybe surprising. b. Do you ever want to know? 6. 'despite the disapprovalsf a.trinlallovers', (18) @ althougft peoplewho love animals don't like ttis @ when animallovers disapprove 7. "Amatew performances,many of excellent quality,' (19) fm many gfoodamateur performances b. a lot of amateur performances 8. 'physically frt" (25) a. ready to go and exercise ,ffi Ugood conditionbecause of regular exercise 9. 'No, radio and TV have not made reading obsolete.,,(2g) 6 Peoplestill read. b. Readingis no longer a popular activity. 10. "leisure-time activities" (31) @ t}ings to do with one's free time b. activities that don't require much effort
UNIT4 . Funand Games
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eachgoal?Writeoneactwrtyon eachline. B. Whatactivitywouldyou pertqrmto accomplish fir sn-,
1. become physically fit 2. learn somethingf new:
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3. do somethingl creative:
&-t1.s3...1.tr r* "{,& i Y'{
4. have a great adventure:
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ll. BuildingYour Vocabulary A. Ihese are the 15 key vocabulary wordsfor thischapter.Theyare boldfacedin the thesewordsafteryour teacheranddiscusstheirmeanings. reading.Pronounce +amateur* athleticst compete r equipment fan
hobby
rstadium * station I strenuous t subscription Fteam
rindividual leisure* ! network r spectator
words.Makethe nounsplural B. Complete thesesentenceswithsorneof thekeyvocabulary if necessary, and put the verb into the correcttenseand form.
' aL4-{*ti*"t
is another word for Elorts. 't"r^'&i,l 2. Swimning and golf are usually 1.
sports. Baseball and football
I
are alwavs 3. Peopleoften go to a(n)
sports. j'^'J,/^J
to watch two teams
in a sporting event. 4. Spectatorscheer for their favorite team. They are
of that
team. 5. An athlete who doesn't get paid to play a sport is a(n)
athlete.
6. If youwant a lr;ragannedelivered to yourhome regularly, you subscribeto iL You can also geta(n) 7. Tennis is a(n)
to cableTV channelsvou like. sporl Playershave to do a lot of running.
8. Most TV shows are producedby large companiescalled Then" they are sold to various smaller TV
"Amatcur andlcisurc c,anbe adjectives or nouns. tAthlatics is sometimes singular and sometimesplural.
CHAPTER12 e Leisure-TimeActivities
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C. Witha partner, write the gorrect word to make a phrasemeaninglhe oppositeiri r,,, phraselisted. Example a small audience / a
huae
audience
l. an amateur team / a
team
2. real. natural snow /
3. mental actir.ity Z
snow
'$A'.*;*
activity
4. participants in a game/
lll. SharpeningReadingSkills lnferences whatis suggestedin eachof theseparagraphs? Discussyour infereitc*r: ;i;i.i,;
i-:;r '; .r::, .
1. para$raph5: "The 'footballwidow'saysher husbanr.iir";'g,rr,,ii1i,,,ir, this a literal or a figurative statement?Is he really glued?What doesthe wife mean? ,
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2. paraSraph20: Why do you think the rides are shr.r;.'iir, v-,,"har :r:r.ppr-:,r, ii'r i.,:.li:: riders? 3. paragraph 27:Why do people who eome to the raceb:aclr {oserrnri,., , 4. para$taph 29: Guess what a "ho\M-to" book is. Givi: ):r.;iu;l:, ._!::-;:;;iiijll:.i i words browse and thriving, and try to determine thr.,ir iqr;1riii:i.::rirli,,:ir Then check your dictionary.
lV. Understandingldiomsand Expressions i!
Oneachblankline,writethe letterof thecorrectphraseto campletefhe .senfen,ir give theparagraphs numbers in parentheses in whichthe er:6iie,.:sirriE #i* ij{i,,if i
: r'l j:il:'
1. Baseballis catledthe natinnalpastim"e(3) becauseir -_ *1 *. a. is a very popular sport througflroutthe U.S. b. was very popular in the past 2. If doctors practire what tlug Weach(tO), they _ fr, do whatthey advise others to do b. give a lot of speeches 3. Peoplewho workout (75) alot a. havepn outdoorjob b. exerciseoften
UNIT4 . Funand Games
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4. Ifyou arewindow-shoppir.tg(tZ),you are a. not spending any moiiey at that time b. buying new windows for your house
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5. People who are trying to getback to nature (18)
a. play golf or tennis b. io titinql" ttt" r rbt?rc.,'rLL'{ t' "r19{:_ fi 6. A soapopera(23) is a radio a. or TV story that continues day after day b. long, sadopera 7. The nicknamesboobtuheandi"diotbox(26) &. ne insulting referencesto TV b. are complimentary referencesto TV
V. Taking Words Apart On the line nextto eachverb, writethe wordfor thepersonwho performsthis activity.You needto add+ ,
piLcher eho??er ioaqer au{E""ry*fi;tf'
1. advertis". 2. collect:
*,"{.Sr-,q"Trc
3. perform:
4. play:
5. run: 6. ski:
l ;.f A i
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gk ltf
7. subscribe:
{r€e'f*f
1
8. view:
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Vl. PracticingSentencePatterns A. Comparative Patterns with Adjectives There are two 6omparative patterns for adjectives.For short adjectives:Bowling is easier than baseball.For longer adjectives:SomeTV shows are more interesring than others. Workwitna partnerand take furns answeringtheseguestbns with completestatements. 1. Which sport is more popular-walking or joggingp 2. Which sport is more strenuous-tennis or golP 3. Which activity do you think children like better-reading a book or going to a circus? 4- Which is easier-shooting a ball into a basket or hitting a baseball? CHAPTER12 . Leisure-Time Activities
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B. Beginning Sentences with Gerunds This chapter contains many examples ofgerunds (verbals ending iii -irg) used as subjects ofsentences, objects ofyerbs. and objects of prepositions. Witha partner, scanparagraphs 1-3 looking for gerunds.Thencomplete the following sentences,usinga gerund in each. 1.
is the most popular form of exercise in the U.S.
2. '^-et's So 3. He is thinking about
this afternoon. next summer.
Vll. Sharing ldeas A. lssues Debatetheseissuesin smallgroups.Thenchooseoneandwrite aboutit. 1. Is it beneficialor harmful for children to be involved in competitiveathletics? 2. Is it wrong for peopletu train animalsto perform for human amusement?Or is it acceptableif the animals are treated well? 3. According to a mqjor study, the averageAmerican child spendsa total of 3g hours a week using TV, radio, recordings,video games,and computers.Isthis good or bad? B. On a Personal Note Writeaboutoneof thesetoprbs. 1. Do researchin an encyclopediaor on the Internet to find information about a sport that interests you. rook up (a) when and where the gfamewas first played or (b) how the gameis played now. write about what you learned. Don'tiopy from your [email protected] information, that is, use your own words. 2. What do you do with your leisUre t'me? What do theseactivities contribute to your life? 3. Have you ever gfonehunting or fishing? Would you? Why or why not? 4. Wrllte a descriptive piece about how you feel when playing somesport. Describe your physical, mental, and emotional reactions.
i; itj rl
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The Constitution and the Federal S
meets The U.S.Capitol,where Congress (Washington, D.C.) 'i&iir :n!.:'. iitr-, r::i:.t t';i...
BeronrYou Reno Discuss 1. Why does a country needlaws? List sweral reasons. 2. The U.S. Constitution is the "supreme law of the land." What do you know about the U.S. Constitution? What kind of government doesit outline? 3. Do you think the U.S. Constitution is different from the constitutions of other countries? If so, in what ways?
@_-
Guess Ihen lookfor the answersin the reading. Tryto answerthe questions. 1. Including the 10 amendmentsof the Bill of Rights, how many times hasthe U.S. Constitution been changed(amended)?Check ({) one:
27 _42
15
2. How many people are employed by the executive branch of the U.S. government? Check (/)
one:
300,000 _1,500,000
_3,000,000
The Constitution and the Federal Sgstern
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fire Constitution t
2
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a
5
Daniel Webstet the nineteenth-centuryAmerican statesman,once said: "We may be tossed upon an ocean where we can see no land-nor perhaps the sun or stars. But there is a chart* and a compassfor us to study, to consult, and to obey.That chart is the Constitudon." The Constitutionof the United Stateswas adopted on lune 21, 1788.It is the oldest written constitution still in use.What is this Constitution? It is the basic law from which the U.S.govemment gets all its power. It is the law that protects those who live in the U.S.A.from unreasonableactions bythe national govemment orany state govemment. The Constitution defines three branches of govemment. They are the legislative branch, which enacts (makes) laws; the execut'fue branch, which enforcesthose laws; and the ludicial branch,which interprets them (decides what they mean). The legislativebranch is called Congress. It is made up of two groups of legislatorsthe Senateand the House of Representatives. A member of the Senateis addressedas *natnr. Members of the House of Representativesare called congr*smen or c0ngr6epomen. The Senate is often refened to as the upper house. It has 100members-two senatons from each state. Both senatorsrepresent the entire state. Senatorsare elected for sixyear terms. Everytwo years,one-third of all senators face reelection. The lower house,which is called the House of Representatives,has 435 members,all of whom are elected everytwo years.The number of representativesfrom each state is determined by that states population. While the seven smallest states have only one representativeeach,California,the most populous state, had 52 representativesin the
"A map of a body of water.
andthe AmericanCitizen UN{T5 o Go\rernment
@
l06th Congress( 1998to 2000).For the purposeof electing representatives, each state is divided into congressional'districts. The districtswithin a state are about equal in population.One representative is electedfrom eachdistrict.One of a representative's major dutiesis to protectthe interestsof the peoplein that district e The iob of Congressis to passlaws.Beforea law is passed,it is calleda 6ill.In order to becomea law,a bill must be approvedby a majority of each houseof Congressand by the president.lf the presidentvetoes (disapprovesof) a bill, it can still becomelaw if at leasttwo-thirdsof the membersof eachhouseof Congressoverridethe veto bv voting for it when it is voted on again. z The presidentis the nation'schief executive.As such,he must seethat all national laws are carriedout. The presidentalso spendsmuch of his time makingdecisions about foreignpolicy (the relationshipsbetweenthe U.S.and other nations).Cf course, a verylargestaff of advisersand other employeesassistthe president.ln fact,the executivebranchemploysalmost 3 million peoplelocatedall over the world.The most importantgroupof advisersis calledthe cabinet.Thecabinetconsistsof the headsof the l4 departmentsof the executivebranch,suchas the Secretaries of Education,Defense, and Agriculture.Cabinetmembersare chosenby the presidentwith the approvalof the Senate.The presidentalso appoints ambassadorsand other :onsular headswho represent the U.s. abroad.In addition, he appoints iudgesof the federal courts. 8 Thevice presidentis the only other electedperson in the executivebranch.One important constitutionalduty of the person holding this office is to serveas presidentof the Senate.The vice president'smost important function is to becomepresidentupon the death,resignation,or disability of the president.Out of 37 presidentselected,eight havedied in office,and one resigned.In eachcase,the vice presidentbecamepresident. 9 The iudicial branch consistsof the federalcourts, including the highestcourt of the U.S.,the SupremeCourt.One of the unusualfeaturesof the Americanjudicial systemis the power of the courts to declare legislation unconstitutional and, therefore,void. The powerof the federalgovemmentis limited by the Constitution.Federallaws cannotviolate the terms of the Constitution. For example,Congresscould not pass a law that members of the House of Representativesbe elected for four-year terms becausethe Constitution saysthat they are to be elected for two-year terms. 10 Federallaws are in some way controlled or affected by all three branchesof goverlrment-{ongress makes them; the president approves and enforcesthem; and the courts determinewhat they mean and whetherthey are constitutional.this is one example of the government'ssystemof checksand balances,by which each branch of govemment prevents improper actions by the other branches. 11 Checksand balanceswere put to an important test in 1974when it was discovered that PresidentRichard Nixon had been involved in obstruction of justice (hiding crimes) in connection with the Watergatescandal. Both Congressand the prosecutorappointed by Congressdemanded that the president give them certain papers and tape recordings that he had. The president refused.He said that neither the iudicial nor the legislative branchcould tell the president,the head of the executivebranch,what to do. He was relyingon a doctrine known as the xparationofpowers. This meansthat one branchof the govemmentcannot interferewith the others. During this conflict, two important questions were raised:( I ) Could the presidentwithhold information about possiblecrimes
13 r TheConstitutionand the Federal
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from Congressand the courts?(2) Did the doctrine of separationof powersmeanthat the iudicialbranch(courts)could not ordera memberof the executivebranch(thepresident) to give evidenceto the prosecutor? 12 After consideringthese questions,the SupremeCourt orderedthe presidentto give the evidenceto the prosecutor.After examiningthe evidence,Congressbeganthe constitutional procedureto removethe presidentfrom office--impeachment (an official accusationof wrongdoing)and trial. However,beforethe processwas completed,president Nixon resignedfrom office.The checksand balancespreventeda major governmental crisis,and the presidencypassedsmoothly to the vice president,GeraldFord. The "chart"had kept the countryon course,even when the captaintried to strav.
Z t*:rt*
Wfiatis theiobofeachbranchofgovernment?
ComI|.elunslonWhatis thePresiilent's cabinet?
The Amendments to the Constitution 13
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Amendments to the Constitution are first proposed by a two-thirds vote of both houses of Congress.Then, they must be approved by the legislaturesof three-quarters of the states or by a vote of conventions in three-quartersof the states. 14 Sincethe addition of the Bill of Rights(the first l0 amendments)in lZ9l, the Constitution has been changed(amended)only l7 times, and one of those amendments simply canceledanother. (The SeventeenthAmendment prohibited the manufacture and sale of alcoholic beverages;the TWenty-firstAmendment repealedthe Seventeenth An:endment.) 1s Probablythe most significantportion of the Constitutionis the Bill of Rights,the first I0 amendments to the Constitution. The first of these assures freedom of religion, speech,and the press and the right to complain to and about the government.Speech is protected no matter how unpopular or repulsive,so long as it does not createan immediate and serious danger to life or property. Freespeech means that the govemment cannot prevent people from saying or writing whatever they want, nor celn it punish people for expressing ideas that criticize the govemment. Free speech is at the very heart of democracy. Former Supreme Court lustice Louis Brandeis said that, for a democracyto work, people must be allowed to express new, unusual, and unpopular ideasso that they can be debated and examinedand then adopted or rejected.After all, democracyitself was a new and strange idea in the eighteenth century and it still is in many parts of the world. t6 Freedomof religion means that each person can belong (or not belong) to any religious group. An individual can follow any religion s teachings as long as these do not seriously interfere with the rights of others. Religious freedom also means that neither the federalgovemment nor any state govemment can encourageor preventthe practice of religion. This idea has been called the wall of separation between church and state. 17 The Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, and Eighth Amendments protect people suspected or accusedof crimes. But these amendments also protect all U.S.residents.Govemmentofficials and police cannot anest people or search them, their property, or their homes without some reason to believe that they have committed a crime.
UNIT5 . Governmentand the American Citizen
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Recently,the SecondAmendmenthascreatedmuch discussionand controversyThis amendmentdealswith the right of peopleto keepand beararms (guns).ln viewof the largenumberof guns in the U S. and the increaseduse of them in committingcrimes, especiallymurder, many people are recommendinggreater limitations on gun ownership and possession. Certainly, the most importantof the remainingamendmentsis the Fourteenth, which grewout of the Civil War.lt was passedto protectformer slavesfrom state lawsthat dis, criminated against them. But its effect ha- been much broader than that. It givesfull federaland state citizenshipto all people born in the U.S.or naturalizedthere (including former slaves).It prohibits statesfrom violatingthe rights of Americancitizens.But the most significantprovision is that no state may "depriveany personof life, libertyor property,without due processof law; nor deny to any personwithin its iurisdictionthe equal protectionof the laws."That meansthat all personshaveequal legal rightsand that their rights or possessionscannot be takenwithout a proper trial. Theselast provisionsapply not only to U.S.citizensbut to all personsin the country.Originally,the Bill of Rights did not protect people from state action, but only from federalaction.The FourteenthAmendment has been interpretedby the SupremeCourt to apply almostall of the provisions in the Bill of Rights to the individual states. Thus. the Fourteenth Amendmentis one of the most valuableprotectionsthat people living in the U.S.have.
Namesomeof tftemostimportnntrightsgrantedin the BiII of Rights. Wftq is theFourteenth Amendment soimportant? *. The Federal System The United States is organizedas a federal system.This means that the power to govem is divided betweenthe national {federal)government,located in Washington,D.C., and the state governments.Laws passedby Congress(federal laws) must be authorized by the U.S.Constitution. That is what is meant by the statement that the United States govemment gets all its powers from the Constitution. All matters over which the federal government does not have power can be regulated only by the individual states (such as ownership of property, divorce,and education). zl The original purpose of a national central govemment was to perform those tasks that could not be performed efficiently by each state individually. For example,dealing with foreign nations, establishing a monetary system, and regulating commerce be, tween states could be done better by a single national authority. Other governmental responsibilities, such as public school systems,local roads, and police and fire protection, were left to the states and their subdivisions. 22 While the federalgovemment'spower is limited by the Constitution,the individual states are given the power to pass any law that is not prohibited by the Constitution. In those areas where both the states and the federal government have the power to pass laws, state laws cannot conflict with those passed by the federal govemment. 23 Most state governmentsare quite similar in structure to the national govemment. Each is headed by an elected executivecalled a governor. The legislative branch may be called a statcb4islature assembly, or have some other name, but it generallyfuncor general CHAPTER13 o The Constitution and the FederalSystem
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tions much as Congressdoes.Most of the state legislaturesalso havetwo houses The state court systemsgenbrallyfollow the three-levelfederalcourt plan, which provides for a trial court,an appellate(appeals)court,and a supremecourt. 24 Statesare divided into smallergovernmentalunits, such as counties,cities,towns, and villages.Theseunitscanpasslawsthat areauthorizedby the statein whichthey are located,and they are responsiblefor making and enforcingthese laws within their boundaries. The U.S.A.and its Constitutionhavewithstood many crisesand criticisn,s.Sincethe Constitution was written, this nation has changedfrom a rural and agriculturalsociety to a highly industrialized,urban society.The population hasgrownfrom lessthan 4 million to about 275million.Still,the "chart"that DanielWebstermentionedcontinuesto keepthe nation securelyon course.TheAmericanexperimentin democracyhasproved conclusivelythat government"of the people,by the people,for the people"can function effectivelyfor the good of its citizens.
4 '. 1l t, r,, * !:
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ArrrRYou Rrno
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l. Getting the Message A. 0n each blankline,writethe letterof thecorrect wordor phraseto completethe sentence. l. The Bill of Rigftb i" q a. part of the U.S Constitution b. a separatedocument 2. Inthis reading, tlre word cabinet refers to Lo a. apieceoffurniture b. a group of peoplewho advise the president 3. Amendments to the U.S. Constitution a. were part of the original document b. mustbe approvedbythe states 4. The membersof the Senateare a. electad.fora 6-yearterm b. appointed forlife 5. A state legislativebody a. catr b. cannoi
l
: 1i
UNIT5 r Governmentand the American Citizen
IE &-
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passa law that violates the U.S. Constitution.
E
$* 1s ,.,
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B- Who'sefected/Who'sappointed/Discussthe meanings of thesewords.Then,puta check (/) in thecorrectcolumnfo,reachjob listed. Government employees 1. the president
Elected
Appointed
f
2. the cabinet
P
3. the vice presidenr
{
4. senators
'1
5. state $overnors
.\
6. federaljudges
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\
C- Rereadparagraphs11 and 12. Thendiscusswhy Presidenf Nxon's argumentmadeto the SupremeCourtwas important.Whatdid the outcomeprove? D- Readthesesentenceswith thewordnor.Thenanswerthe questionthatfolows. 1- paragiraph15, sentence4: canthe governmegt punish a person for saying somethingbad about the countgr or its leaders?yes / No 2- paragraph16, sentence3: Can the federal government encouragethe practice of one particular religion? Yes/ No
ll. BuildingYour Vocabulary A. Iheseare the 15 keyvocabulary wordsfor this chapter.Theyare boldfaced in the reading.Pronouncethesewordsafteryour teacherand discussthek meanings. E amendment
cabinet . Congress constitutiont executive*
federal
impeachment interpret judicial legislative
representative* senator unconstitutional veto* voidg
"These words can be nouns or adjectives. trhe word corutitution is capitalizetl when it refers to the u.s. constitution. *This word can be a noun or a verb. $This word can be a noun, a verb, or an adjective.
CHAPTER|3 o The Constitution and the federal Syctem
-_____IBil
Completethesesentenceswithsomeof thekey vocabulary wordson page 149. Make the nounspluralif necessary. 1. The first 10 nrr..,.l-r,l,&*-'rr.,"{,r,r*tto the U.S. Constitution are called the Bill of
Rights. 2. One of the jobs of the SupremeCourt is to 3. In a(n)
-l-t/-t,^t"
.!
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the Constitution.
system of government, the governing powers are
divided between the state governments and the national governmenl 4. If Congress votes in favor of making a bill a law, the president can still stop that bitl from becoming law by using the 5. To avoid 6. Every statedlects*.
L.t{*
, President |Jixon resigned from office.
J"ei,rafr"rt
to the Senate,but in the Houseof
Representatives, the number of "+"ft*tq""9?€ from each State varies, \o'" r*"aTut{" r' rf,|eprt depending on the state's population. 7. The House of Representatives ani the Senate together make up
8. When a law violates the U.S. Constitution, the judicial branch of government rlrt e*. will declareit 'il i:;1;
lll. SharpeningReadingSkills
Ii . ii,. ril t.
Metaphorscomparethings that are not really alike. The comparison A. Metaphors is figurative (imaginary), notliteral Geal).For examplg in paragraph 1, the U.S. Constitution is comparedto a chart (map) that guidessomeonesailing a ship. Note that metaphorc comparetwo things without using the words as or like Answerthe followingguestionsby lookingfor metaphorsin the paragraphsindicated. 1. What is President Nixon comparedto? (12)
'rl'rr
2. Wbat is the amendment requiring separationof church and state comparedto?
(ro) B, Anafogies An analoSyis another type of comparison. In anal.ogies,the comparisonsare between things that are similar. Erample is to a state The president is to the national government as a government. (senator, governor, representative) Governoris the answer becauseboth are headsof the executivebranch of government.
UNIT5 . Governmentand the AmeracanCitizen
Completetheseanalogies by writingthecorrectchojceson the blanklines. 1. In paragraph 1, the chart and compass are to a ship as the
is/are to the U.S. (ocean,stars,Constitution) 2. c'on$ressmen and @ngresswomen are to the House of Representatives as are to the Senate. (senators, judges, cabinet members)
lV. Understandingldiomsand Expressions 0n eachblankline,writethe letterof thecorrectphraseto completethe sentence. The givetheparagraphs numbersin parentheses in whichthe expressio ns are used. 1. The upperhouse(4)ofCongress b a. meetsin a room abovethe lower house b. is called the Senate 2. Eachmemberof the lowerhouse(S) fu a. electedby one district of a state b. called a senator ! 3. &rchas(7,20,21)means tr a. ofcourse b. for example
4
4. Carried.out (7)rreans ---3--. a. followed, performed, done b. removedbyforce
t S 5. The e4pressionchzcles and.balantes(t0) refers to a. the relationship between the two housesof Congress b. the relationship between the three branches of the federal government 6. Obstrurtinnofjustbe(tt) means a. committing a crime b. withholdingevidence about a crime 7. Freespeech(f S) means a. people have the right to expressall kinds of ideas b. ttrere is no chargeto hear speeches
*$
J :
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:
CHAPTER13 . The Constitution and the FederalSystem
li
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.ir tr.il*
V. Taking Words Apart ln English, manyverbscanbe madeinto nounsby addingthe suffix-tionor -ment.Change eachof thefollowingverbsintoa nounthat endswithoneof thesefuo suffixes. Be carifut. Sometimes additionalspelling changesare neededbeforeaddingthe suffix.llse a dictionarv for help.Readthewordpairsaloud. l. amend
8. protect
2. appty
9. reglulate
3. appoint
10. resign
4. elect
11. separate
5. govern
12. state (say)
6. interpret
13. violate
:* j
* .* '*3
€
.ii
7. prohibit
Vl. PracticingSentencePatterns Notice the use of rteithn' and nor in the fourth sentenceof paragraph11.Theseare ne$ativewords. When they are used, the verb is affirrnativg but the meaningof the sentenceis negative. Example I have neither a car nor abicycle. (I don't have either one.) Also notice that in rnither / nor sentences,the verb must agreewith the closestnoun. Eramples
i
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f-.
Neither my dad nor my sisters have a car. Neither my sisters nor my dad has a car. Wrttetwo sentenceswith neither/ nor usingtfre subjectsgiven andinformation from the text. 1. president / vtcn president: 2. senators/ congressmen:
UNIT5 . Governmentand the American Citizen
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Vll. Sharing ldeas A. lssues
I
Debatetheseissuesin smallgroups.Ihen chooseoneand writeaboutit. 1. In afederal system,should the individual stateshave the right to leave the federation (the national government) and becomeindependent? 2. Should the national government protect children from pornographic material on TV, in movies,in popular songs,or inmafazines? Or do laws making pornography illegal violate freedom of speech? 3. To what extent should the governmentregulatethe saleand ownershipof handguns? B. On a Personal Note Writeaboutoneof thesetopl'cs. 1. Comparethe job of the U.S. president with the job of the head of state in another countr5l.Which person has more power? Who has the more difficult job? 2. Wouldyou ever want to run for political office? E4plain why or why nol 3. In other countries ttrat you know abou! is tle government limited in what it can force citizens to do or prevent cr.frzercfrom doinf Comparefreedom and human ri&ts in the U.S. and one other country.
CHAPIER13 . The Constitutionand the Federal
Choosing the Nation's President
The White House, home of the president
BrronrYou RrRo Discuss l. How do Americans choosetheir president?Tell what you know about the process. 2. How doesa person becomethe leader in other countries you're familiar with? 3. Do you think the leader of a counfiy should be electedby all the cittzens?
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Guess Tryto answerthe questions. Ihen lookfor the answers in thereading. 1. In the 1996 presidentialelection,how much money was spenton all the campaigns?Check (/) one $23 million
$400 million
-
-
$1.2 billion
2. Does the presidentiai candidate with the greatest number of votes always win the election? Check (/)
one:
_Yes
-No 3. Which political party is called the GOP (Grand Old Parry)? Check (/) -
the Democrats
-
one:
the Republicans
Choosing the Nation's President Selecting the Candidate 'l
Everyfouryears, Americansparticipate in a unique and exciting ritual-selecting the nation's president and vice president. Beginning early in a presidential election year, people who would like to "run" for the office oJ president try to win delegates to their parrys national political convendon. Delegatesare chosen from each state. Some are selected at state caucusesllocal meetinji-of votbrs and party officials) and others by party conventions. But most are chosen by primary elections. Primariesgive voters an opportunity to indicate whom they want to be their partys presidential candidate. In a primary election, a presidential candidate is running against other candidates in the same political party, competing for that states delegate votes. z The summer before the election, each of the two maior political parties-the Democrats and the Republicans-holds a national convention lasting about four days. At these conventions,delegatesselectthe pmple who will be candidatesfor president and vice president. The number of delegatesfrom each state is determined by its population and its support for that parfy in previous elections. The total number of delegatesat a convention rangesfrom about 2,000to about 4,000. 3 Convention business usually begins with the creation and acceptanceof the parfiy's plafform. A platform is a general statement of the party's philosophy, positions, and goals on lssues of national and intemational concem. A maiority of the convention delegates must vote in favor of the various planks of the platform in order for them to be accepted.(Apknk is a statementon one subiect.) + The next order of businessis the nomination of prospectivepresidential candidates. A speaker nominates each nominee, telling that persons strengths and accomplishments. Each nominating speech is followed by a long, noisy demonstration. Bands play,and thousands of delegateswave flags and signs,sing, yell, and clap. When the
14. C CHAPTER
conventionquietsdown,a secondingspeechis givenfor eachnominee.Thisis also followedby a noisydisplayof support After the nominations,the delegatesget down io the seriouswork of choosing their party'spresidentialcandidate.what qualitiesare delegateslooking for in their iandidate?Themostimportantqualificationistheabilitytowintheelection Inaddition,delegatesconsidera nominee'sintegrity,philosophy,and talent for leadership votes are takenalphabeticallyby state.At some conventions,one nomineegets the majorityof delegatevotes on the first roll call. At others,severalroll calls may be necessary beforc one nomineewins the maiorityof votes.Sometimes,statedelegations bargainwith the maior nominees.Delegatesmay agreeto switchtheir votes in exchange for some political favoror governmentalposition.Forexample,an agreementmight be madethat, in exchangefor a state'svotes,the nomineewill recommenda certainperson to be the vice presidentialcandidate.Eventually,enoughdealsare made that one personreceivesa majority of the votes and becomesthe party'spresidentialcandidate.
The2000RepublicanNationalConvention ln recent years,more and more states have held primary elections.As a result lt hr,; become common for one candidate to win a maiority of the delegates'votes durii,s r.fte primaries.In that event,the partys presidentialcandidatehas already been chose' i:efore the convention even begins. After the presidential candidate is selected,the vice presidential candidate rnri:,i.be chosen.TYaditionally, the conventionofficiallyelectswhomeverthe pr€sidentiai,-.,. -,, date wants as his running mate. lt is customary(and good politics) for a party:, ;.,,, r dential and vice presidentialcandidatesto come from differentparts of the cciri,r;.. .-. , to have somewhat different political views. That way, the team appeals to voters with differentviewpointsand concems.At the convention,the two candidatesari.li,-,1;.rr.,::, nominated,electedas the party'scandidates,and cheeredgreatlybeforeancl.,irr..,, .,., give their acceptancespeeches.Finally,the conventionadiourns(ends).
UNIT5 o Governmentand the AmericanCitizen
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Comprehooslon WhaI are the threemaioriobsof a nationalpoliticalconvention? The Campaign 8
10
t1
12
13
Campaigningfor the generalelectiontraditionallybeginson LaborDayin earlySeptember.From that time until Election Day, in early November,voters are bombarded from all sides-by radio,televisior,,newspapers,mail, and personalcommunicationsfriendshipsand even marriagescan becomebatwith politicalmaterial.Long-standing tlegroundsas Americansargue about issuesand candidates.Ordinarilysoft-spoken peoplebecomeoutspokensupportersof their candidate.Neighborhoodpolitical workers from each pafi knock on doors and give voters information about the candidates theysupport. Eachcandidatetries to convincea majorityof the Americanvotersthat he is best qualifiedto leadthe countryfor the next4 years.Sincethe candidatehasonly 2 months in whichto do this, he must campaignveryhard,day and night.All of the resources of moderncommunicationare usedto acquaintthe voterswith the candidates'views and personalities.Televisionhas becomea powerfulinfluence.Thecandidatewho lackspersonal appealon TV is at a greatdisadvantage.In 1960,a seriesof televiseddebatesbefween RichardNixon and lohn Kennedyprobably influencedenough voters to change the election results.It has been said that if AbrahamLincoln were alive today,he probably wouldn't be electedpresidentbecausehe wasn't handsome. Although modem communicationshave better acquaintedvoters with candidates and issues,the resulting costs of election campaigns have created a serious problem. The various candidateswho participated in the 1996presidential campaign spent a combined total of more than 5400 million. About Sl52 million of this total was contributed by the federal government. To receive government campaign money, candidatesmust raisean equal amount from privatedonations.Acceptingprivatedonations meansthat the person elected has many "friends"who may expect political favorsin return for their financial help. Also, sometimesvery well-qualified people cannot raise enough money to campaign for the presidency. Campaigningis extremely expensive,and a candidate must receivea maiority of the electoral votes to be elected; therefore,only the candidatesof the two maior parties can expectto win. Still, third parties play an important role in American politics by focusing attention on particular issuesand by influencingthe policies of the maior parties. Critics often ask, "Does it matter who wins? Are there any real differencesbetween the two political parties?"No endidate can hope to win by appealing to only one or two groups of voters, such as farmersor businesspeople.Becauseof the need for broad appeal,the philosophiesof both partiesusuallytake a middle courseso as not to offend any largegroups of voters.The govemment does changesomewhat depending on which party is in power, but it doesn't change as much as political campaign speechesmight lead one to believe. Duringan election campaign,one hearsa lot of political labels,such as reactionary consewative, moderate (middle-of-the-road;.liberal, and radical. Most Democratsare
14 . Choosingthe NationSPresident CHAPTER
E
14
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5
moderatesor liberals.Most Republicansare moderatesor conservatives. peoplesometimes referto liberalsas being to theteftand conservativesas being to thenght.In terms of specificprograms,Democrats{or liberals)tend to favor more spendingfor socialprogramsto help poorerpeopleand lessspendingfor militaryprograms.Republicans, (or conservatives')goals tend to be the opposite. Traditionally,Democratshave also favored a strongerfederalgovernmentwhile Republicanshaveemphasizedstates'rights. The Democraticparty is generallyconsideredmore supportive of the poor and the middle-class policiesgenerallysupportbig businessand the rich. worker.Republican Each party has a familiar symbol. For the Democrats,it is a donkey,known for its stubbomness.The Republicansymbol is an elephant,an animal that is supposed to have a long memory. These symbols were created by Thomas Nast, a famous nineteenth-century politicalcartoonist The Republicanparty is also calledthe GOp (GrandOId Party) To preservefreedemocraticelections,candidatesin all electionsare allowedto expresstheir opinionspubliclyTheymayevenseverell'criticizeothercandidaiesand their viewpoints,without fear of punishment.This is true even when an opponent is an incumbent president{onewho is currentlyholdingoffice).
Whatarethetwomaiorpolitical parties in theU.S.? Whataresome ilifferences between them?
Z,+n*tu* fry$g5$
TIre Elestion 16
On the lLesday following the first Monday in November,voters cast their hallots for president and vice president.A parlfs presidential and vice presidential candidatesare voted for as a team, not individually.The entire House of Representatives,one-third of the Senate,and many state and local officialsare also electedat this time. Thank to voting machinesand computers,Americansusually know most of the winnersby late evening.In fact, the television networksoften predict the results of an election as soon as the polls close. They do this by conducting exit polls-asking voters in scientifically selected precincts how they voted. 17 The president and vice president are not actually chosen by how many people vote for them (the popular vote); instead, they are chosen by elatoralvotes. Altogether there are 538electoral votes; it takes 270 (a maiority) to win. When citizenscast votes for presidential and vice presidential candidates,they are selecting their state's electors (people chosen under state laws and proceduresto cast each states votes for presidentand vice president). Each elector is expected (although not legally required) to vote for the candidate who wins the mafority of the popular votes in that state. Theseelectorsas a group are called the ElutoralAlW. 18 The number of electorsfor each state is equal to the total number of representatives and senators who representthat state in Congress.(ln addition, the District of Columbia has three electoral votes.)Thus, states with larger populations have more electoral votes. ln all states except Maine and Nebraska,the candidate who receivesthe largest
UNIT5 . Governmentand the American Citizen
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number of popular votes receivesall of a state'selectoralvotes.With this system,it is possiblefor a candidateto receivemorepopularvotesthan an opponentbut fewerelectoral votes and, therefore,lose the election.This can happenwhen a candidatelosesby small marginsin stateswith manyelectoralvotesand wins by largemarginsin states with few electoralvotes (as shown in the chart below).Only three Americanpresidents havereachedthe White Houseby losingthe popularvote but winningthe maiorityof electoralvotes.This happenedin 2000,when CeorgeW. Bush was elected.When the ElectoralCollegevotes,it is also possible.in some states,for an elector notto cast his ballot for the candidatewho won the popular vote in that state. However,sinceelectors are importantmembersof their politicalparties,this rarelyhappens.
Sample of Popular and Electoral Votes from the 2000 Presidential Election Popular Vote
States
Democrat (Al Gore)
Republican (Geo4ie W. Bush)
Electoral Vote
Iowa
634,475
629,527
7 l)emocrat
Kansas
39t,026
674,479
6 Republican
Utah
207,732
512,767
5 Republican
Wisconsin
L,240,266
1,234,167
11 Democrat
Totals
2,467,499
2,ggo,26g
18 Democrat 11 Republican
To be elected,candidatesfor presidentand vice presidentmust receivea maiorityof the votes in the ElectoralCollege.If no candidate receivesa majority, the House of Representativeschooses the president from the top three candidates. Each state has one vote for president. The Senatechoosesthe vice president from the two top candidates. Each senator has a vote. This has only happened once, in 1824,when Iohn Ouincy Adams was elected. This Electoral College method of choosing the president has been criticized as old20 fashioned and undemocratic. However,states with small populations do not want to changeit. They havea greaterproportional vote in the Electoral Collegethan they would have if the president were chosen by popular vote. t9
plpular votes andelectaralvotcs? between What'stheilifference Whicfttgpeof votBelectsa president?
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i4 . Choosingthe Nation3President CHAPTER
The Inauguration The newlyelectedpresidentand vicepresidentare inauguratedlformallvswnrnin) on lanuary20 followingthe election.Theinaugurationis nationall,,'trir,,'i:,r.i: ; , r ., , ,1lowedbya paradeand manyparties.Thepresidentthen movesi;':ir,tj:r,'.i'irir,: ri.,.i, andappointsmembersofthecabinet(thepresident'sclosestadvisr,r,,, j.;i.,.:r.,,::.: ,,.i;r, headsofthevariousdepartmentsof theexecutivebranch). Between!r-ri.r.,.:,1',.,,, ., r the inauguration,the outgoingpresidentmeetswith the newlveler-:i:,jirri:,::r,,:l.,.,, ,,ir: hisstafftoplanforasmoothtransitionfromoneadministratic.:l-uri,i.!r,.i,i ,,i .:r -' -.* the outgoingpresidentis only awaitingthe end of his term, he is often refr:irr:,-J ri: as a .9.. i:: ,.r i':.::, "lameduck."Sometimesthe new presidentand the majority{^ri1l i: ,1.,.,1,,:,i gressbelongto differentparties.When this happens,it is rr:r:rr,,-iiii',': i:ji 1,,:1:: t,:,,,r,.:. promises dent to keep madeduringthe campaign. j.. ,l.i :, ;: : i t 22 Sincethe two major partiesare not extremelydifferent,'il:r,,r,. shift in nationalpolicywhena new presidentfrom a differentii;r-i: ti:,ii.:,., ::,,i ..,,:;r,.rC occursonly with the passageof time, as the new admjnistrationbecomesaccustomed to its powers. zl
Arrrn You Reao l. Getting the Message A. Workwitha partner.Numberfhe eventsin chronological otder fi*n'ri - i i;. riI ::i'iir,:,ii: the earliest.Thefirst one is donefor you.
_$)_primary
elections
_g the inaugiuration _g Election Day 11
rr the election campaign
.r$the "lame duck'period 5 a party's selection of a vice presidential candidate
-tr
the creation of a party platform
1 politicians announce they want to be president \
tU" opening of the political convention
4
aparfir's selectionof a presidential candidate
B. Usrnginformation fromthis chapterandyour opinions, in smallgroussClscr;ss *rii*fk goodand whafsbad abouttheAmerican systemof choosingthepresidert.?hsnfiif ifr your answers.
UNIT5 . Governmentand the AmericanCitizen
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Good 1. 2. Bad l.
2.
ll. Building Your Vocabulary wordsfor this chapter.Theyare boldfacedin the A. Theseare the 15 key vocabulary your teacher,anddiscusstheirmeanings. words after these reading.Pronounce g campaign" {candidate {}conservativet {convention I delegate"
Q demonstration f i inauguration f$incumbentf !issue lliberalt
qnominate l$opponent {pafty $Platform tlprimaryt
words.Makethe nounsplural thesesentenceswith someof the keyvocabulary B. Complete and putthe verbsintothecorrecttenseandform. if necessary, 1. Every 4years, the two major political 2. Ateach convention.
hold a rational vote to choosethat party's candidatesfor
president and vice president. the Democratic parfy appealsto more 3. In generaT,
voters and
the Republican parq/ to more tell that party's viewpoints on
4. The planks of each party's important political and social 5. The presidential candidatesfrom eachpart5l
from September
until the November election. 6. The Republican and Democratic presidential candidatesrun againstone another. Thev are
in the election.
*These words can be aouns or verbs. tThese words can be adjectives or nouns. (continued on the next Pa4e)
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CHAPTER14 . Choosingthe Nations Prelident
7. The president is elected in November but does not take of,ficeuntil the following January, immediately after the 8. A president running for reelection is a(n)
candidate.
C- Whatis thedifferencebetvveen a nomineeanda candidate? Checkthe definitions in a dictionary.Ihendiscussthesewordsin c/ass.
lll. SharpeningReadingSkills A. Making Inferences Rereadtheparagraphs indicatedafter eachstatementanddecideif the statement is trueor false'Eachparagrapheitherstatesor impliestheinformation you need.Afterrereading each paragraph, mark eachstafementbelowtrue(T)or false{F). l. Delegates at a national political convention belong to the same party. (2) 2. Yr/hen a poiitical convention comes to town, manybusinesses make money.
,ii
:. E f:
(2)
.i
3. The presidential candidateis expectedto acnepttheparty,s plaform. (3) 4. \ejng a delegateto a political convention could gle aperson a headache. (4) 5. A lot sf compromisesare made during a political convention. (5) 6. when delegateschoosetheir party's presidential candidate,their main concern is to choosesomeonewho will be a good presideni. (S) 7. when the conventionvotes, the candidate who wins the majority of the delegates'votesbecomesthe presidential candidate.(5) 8. The candidatewith the second-larg1est number of delegfate votesbecomes the party's vice presidential candidate.(Z)
=
.-5
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G
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9. This reading suggeststhat the u.s. needsmore political parties. (11)
B. What Does the Chart Say? Answer thesequestions basedon thechartof popularandelectoral yotesonp. 759,and, paragraphs whereappropriate, the indicated. 1. In 2000,which of the four listedstatesgaveBushmorepopularvotes? 2. wbo got more popular votes in these four statescombined, Gore or Bush? 3. Who got more electoral votes in thesefour statescombined?
UNIT5 o Governmentand the AmericanCitizen
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4. The chart says that Gore got ali 11 of Wisconsin's electoral votes? ffiy?
(i7, 18)
5. Wlry did Gore win more electoral votes in these four states even though Bush won more popular votes? (18)
lV.Understandingldiomsand Expressions fromthe list. Thenumbersin A. Completeeach sentencewithoneof theexpressions parentheses give theparagraphsin whichthe expressions are used. castballots(16) Electoral College{72) exit polls (16) in exchangefor (5) in return for (10)
lame duck (21) raisemoney (10) roll call (5) run for office (1) running mate (7)
1. At the conventions, each state announces how its delegates vote when a(n)
is taken. They try to get electedto political
2. Political candidates jobs.
in other words, get people to
3. Candidatesneed to contribute to their campaign.
officially electsthe president of the United States.
4. The
are surveysconductedon Election Day to find out
5. howpeople voted.
6. Another way of saying that people vote is to say that they
7. Ttvo of the expressionslisted have the samemeaning. They are and 8. In tle last few months of his presidency,Bill Clinton was a(n) president becausea new presiderrthad been elected and he was leaving office. 9. In 1984, awoman ran for vice president. She was the of Walter Mondalg the Democratic candidatefor president. give the B. Discussthe meaningsof thefollowingexpressions.The numbersin parentheses paragraphsin whichtheyare used. quiet down (4)
get down to work (5)
I
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t
V. Taking Words Apart
ttt
A. Compound Words Discussthe meanings of thefollowingcompoundwords.Thenumbersin parentheses give theparagraphs in whichthe wordsare used. long-standing(s)
soft-spoken(8)
outspoken(8)
outgoing(21)
B. Words with the Letters ex-
,,:
Thelettersex-are sometimespronounced [eks] andsomefimes[egz]. Saythesewordsaloud afteryour teacher.Thenwrite[eks]or [egz]on eachline.lf you needhelp,lookat a
dictionarls pronunciationsymbols. 1. example _ 2. extremely _
3. expensive_ 4. executive
5. 6. 7. 8.
expect _ exciting _ exit next _
9. exchange _ 10. extent
C. Words Used as Nouns and Verbs: The Word Support Thewordsupportappearsin paragraphs 2, 4, 8, and13. tndicatein whichparagraphs it is usedas a nounandin whichit rs usedas a verb. noun: verb:
Vl. PracticingSentencePatterns A. Passive Voice In tlis chapter,many sentencesuse passivevoice verbs. In passivevoi.cesentences,the subject doesnot perform the action of the verb but receivestlrat action: An importantlaw waspassedbgCongress gesterdaU.On the other hand, in active voice sentences,the subjectperforms the action of the verb: Congress passedan itnportant law g estzrilag. Findtwo examplesof passle verbsin paragraph1 of thereading, andwrite thembelow. Nowwritetwo sentencesusingthe passivevoiceand the indicatedwords. Add anyother wordsneededto makea good sentence. 1. American president / elected/ the ye,at2000 (Use past tensa) 2. Yice presidential candidate/ usually chosen/ presidential candidate (Use present tense.)
UNff 5 o Governmentand the American Citizen
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Mood The last sentencesin paragraphs 9 and 20 are in the B. Subjunctive The subjurbiye is used to write about something that might-or mood. subjunctive might not-happen if some other condition were tr:rc: If Abraharn Lincoln werealive Notice thatwere isused aftetif,even today,hzprobahlgwouWn'tbeelectedpresident. when the subject is first person singular: If I wereold enaugh,I wouldvote in the next election. Writetwo of your own statementsof this type. ln the main clause,use would plusan infinitive vetb.
1. If I were presidentof the U.S., 2. If lhad. a miliion dollars.
Vll. Sharing ldeas A. lssues Debatetheseissuesin smallgroups.Ihen chooseoneand writeabout it. 1. Besidesbeing at least 35 yearsold and American-born, should there be additioral requirementsfor presidential candidates?If so, what should they be? 2. Whatare someadva:rtafesand disadvanta$esof a two-party system? 3. Would itbe a good thing for Americans to elect a womarr president? B. On a Perconal Note Writeaboutoneof &ese topics. 1. Almost all American parents dream of their child growing up to be president. Would you want to have thatjob? Would you want your child to have it? Explainwhy orwhy not. 2. Tnyour opinion, whatis good about the American system of choosinga president?What are someweaknessesof the system? 3. Write a letter to the current president of the United Sates. Give the president advice about how to handle a national or international problem. Addressyour .letter to: The White llouse, 1600 PennsylvaniaAva NW', WashingtorgD.C. 20500. (Add U.Sl. if you live outside the U.S.) Be sure to include your return addressso your letter can be answered.
Citizenshipt fts Obligations and Privile
. '. l ., -'t:_:t:::'...
. ., ,
New American citizens at their swearing-in ceremony
BrroneYouRrao Discuss 1. What are somethings that any government is e4pectedto do for its citizens? 2. Whatare citizens expectedto do for their government? 3. what are someadvantagesof being a cittz,etof the counfiyyou live in?
I@
Guess Tryto answerthe questions.Ihen lookfor the answersin the reading. 1. What is the rangeof incometax ratesin the U.S.?Check (/) one -
5 o/o-10.5o/o
15o/o-39.60/0
22o/o-5Oo/o
2. Who is Uncle Sam?Check (/) one: a famousAmerican president -a
symbol of the U.S.giovernment
Citizenship : Its Obligations end Privileges Becoming a Citizen Everyperson living in the United States,citizcn or not, is entitled to most of the nation s basic freedoms and protections.However,there are many advantages to becoming citizens for people who intend to live in the U.S.A.permanently.Of these, the most important are the right to remain in the U.S.and the right to participate in its government by voting. Once aliens becomenaturalized citizens,their rights are the sameas those of any native-bom citizen,exceptthat they cannot become president or vice president. With few exceptions,anyone bom in the U.S. is automatically a citizen. Also, a per2 son bom outside the U.S.to parentswho are both American citizens is a citizen.An alien who wishes to become a citizen must fulfill certain legal requirements.In most cases,a person must wait five continuous years after becoming a permanent resident. At least half of those five years must be spent in the U.S.,and no trips outside the U.S.for more than six continuous months are permitted. The applicant must also have lived at least three months in the state in which the application is made3 tn order to show the potential for being a good, productive citizen, it is necessarythat the applicant show an understandingof the English languageand of the history principles, and form of govemment of the U.S.The applicant must also demonstrate good moral character and a belief in the principles of the U.S. Constitution, such as representative govemment and free speech. Once approved for citizenship, the applicant goes before a iudge and swearsloyalty to the United States of America.This swearingin ceremonyis usually attended by a group of people who become citizensat the same 1
T'
.; '* .is" JBH."?
f 5
.": .a .t*:
',*, ;ii
time.
resiilent 4 permanent Nameftverequirements citizen. an American mustfuffi in orilerto become
15 . Citizenship:lts Obligationsand Privileges CHAPTER
-
#r
Responsibilities
i1;
of Citizens
a
Probablythe most importantrightand responsibilityof citrzensin a democracyis to participateactivelyin governmentOne way that they participateis by voting. Unfortunately,in everyelection,a largepercentageof those entitled to vote nevercometo the polls. In I996,for example,fewerthan 507oof those etigible voted for a presidentialcandidate.When a largenumberof citizensdo not vote, those who do havea greatervoice in determining the outcomeof the election.lf only 50"/o of the people vote,26"/oofthe total population can elect the presidentand membersof Congress.The iJea of majority rule is, thus, lost. 5 Another way that citizenscan participatein governmentis by communicatingwith their representatives. In order for electedofficialsto representtheir constituentsproperly,they must know what the votersthink about current laws and pending legislation Do they feel that certain laws are outmoded and should be discarded?Are they for or againsta particularbill? ls theresomethingtheir governmentshouldbe doing but isn,t (or shouldn't be doing but is)?Representatives who want to stay in office 1bereelected) try to vote as their constituentsdesire.Voterscan communicatewith representatives by mail, phone, or e-mail or by attendingtown hall meetings.Unfortunately,veryfew voters take the time to communicatewith their federalor state representatives. As a result. a small, active minority can influencelegislationout of proportion to their numbers. and this leads to a distortion of the representativeform of government. 6 Americans often exercisetheir right to protest govemment action (or inactions).The U.S.Constitution gives people living in the U.S.the rights to assemblepeaceably,to petition the govemment (request changes),and to express opinions freely about the govemment's policies. Peaceful protests outside govemment office buildings (and many foreign embassiesand consulates)are common. Groups (suchas those opposed to the govemment's antidrug or abortion policies) march witti signs,singing and chanting, to let their governmentknow what they favor or oppose. However,in expressingdissatisfaction, people must respectthe rights of others to o(press opposing views or be neutral. One of a citizen s duties-military service--
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UNIT5 . Governmentand the American Citizen
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cide whetherthe accusedpersonhascommitteda crime.The iury is basicto the Americansystemof justice.Therightto a lurytrial is guaranteedby the U.S.Constitutionand by most stateconstitutions.lury panelsare usuallyselectedfrom voter lists. Fromthese panels,which may includeseveralhundredpeoplewherecourtsare busiest,l2 jurors are usuallyselectedto hear eachtrial. Many people find iury servicean interestingand Othersconsiderit a nuisance.Aiurysummonsmeanspeopleare rewardingexperience. requiredto taketime off from work (or their other daily activities)to appearin court and fulfill this civic duty-sometimes for daysor evenweeks.
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canrcmmunicate Whatarefourwaysthatcitizens ComDrohcnslon in glvernment? theirideasta theirrepresentntives Responsibilitis
of All U.S.Residents
Everyindividual,no matter how important or wealthy,must obey the laws.Of course, not all laws are perfect.Some are unwise,others are too harsh,many are foolish. But they cannot,for any of these reasons,be ignored.Anyone living in the U.S.who disapproves of a particular law has the right to try to persuadethe governmentto get it changedthrough peacefulmeans. to The least popular laws are probably those requiring payment of taxes. For most people, the largestof these is the federal income tax. Since I 9l 3, the U.S.governmenthas been collecting income taxes.As the cost of running the govemment has increased,so ha'.'etax rates.When the federal income tax law was first enacted,people had to pay l"/" on annual incomesof less than $20,000.Income of more than $500,000was taxed at 7"/". 'lbday's income tax rates are between 15%and 39.6%.Currently, income taxes provide more than half the money collected by the federal government each year. In 1998,the federal govemment receivedabout $960 billion in income taxes.Thesetaxes are necessary to support a federalbudget that, in 1998,was about $1.67trillion. The money is used for many things. In addition to the cost of operating the government itself, there are expensesfor defense,education, foreign aid, research,aid to the poor and countless other servicesprovided by governmental agencies. 11 Income tax is paid by nearly everyone who eams money in the United Statescitizens, resident aliens, and visitors. Federal income tax rates are graduattl, which means that people with larger incomes are taxed at a higher rate than those eaming less. In addition, deductions and exemptions reduce the amount of income that is taxed. An unmanied person eaming $25,000a year pays about 11"6of that in taxes, while someoneeaming S75,000paysabout 2l%. (A manied couple eaming that amount would pay only 16%.) Employersare requiredto withhold a percentageof their employees'salariesand pay 12 it to the govemment to be applied toward the employees'taxes.Self-employedpeople and those eaming a substantialamount in addition to their salariesmust make quarterly paymentstoward their annual taxes. By April 15,each person whose income in the previous year exceeded a certain minimum must file a tax return-a statement, on 9
15 . Citizenship:lts Obligationsand Privileges CHAPTER
-
forms supplied by the government, listing income, expenses, n.;iiibr-tr6f dependents, a n d o th e r i n fo rm a ti o n A fter maki ng cal cul ati onson the retui r. l i ;i 1;,r' .,r:... ;,i i ., , l eter m ine how much they owe. Those who have paid more than their share gci o r.elund. Those who have paid less must pay the balance. Everyyear around April ll n-rilir,,nsof Amer-
icanscomplain,"UncleSamis takingall my money."Uncleti.-ri ii ,, l t l : : : i . r '- : : - , :l egde n tlemanwhoseclothesresemblethe Americanflag)is a symboi::i ,,,,: 1 l i r . : , - t ) , :i l fn m e n t. Unclesam knowsa lot about eachtaxpayerand penalizesthcs(l,r, . ,;i..,::,,r, returns Still,the incometax law could not be enforcedwithout tlil l1_,;11.,..'...1:,,1-r:,.iation of most taxpayers. '13 In addition to federalincometax. employersalso rr.'iil:hrr:.: 1,,,,,i1r:.,:',.:,rity and Medicaretaxesand state incometaxes.Most statesand lrariy ,...t1ii.,r., i,,,iji.:iiincome -.i.,.-, taxes.Besidesincometaxes,manyother taxesare collei:tL,:i,l t',, ici-i',.:i,;late and local governments.The most common are those imposedon pftJpqlf\i,ri-i{.i i^::ir-;, ii;,..ipq. tha ownerofa cat forexample,paysseveraltaxes:a salesia;,r,..,:-r,:,, r,j ,..i,- , j:.::,:., .rnannual vehicleregistrationtax,and a personalpropertytax. lf the pr r:. r, ,..,, ,,,,. ,1Cor dies,the heirsmay haveto pay an inheritancetax on the car's,.,..lri,., i ,,: ,.i:,'llrm theS€ taxes are used to provide servicesand facilitiessuch &b,-.i-i,ri:,,r t.-.,..,,, ,..,.::. and parks. 14 Despitecomplaintsabout high taxes,Americansknow that the til:r,:l tf ir,: ;r;-trl :riake possiblethe valuableservicesthey receive. i::,)li::r:; Also,whenall ,r,.i1,, , ,.:L:,i, r:;1,; i,r.r.:::r 1,;1gether they total less than 32"/"of the nation'sgross domestic prr.:,,:-'ilr;.i ', i:r-,,.. .,i:.:. i the lowest percentagesof all industrial nations-
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Whatarefourdifferenttnxestftat mostll.S. residents Sesponsibilities of the Govemrnent The governmenthas many obligations to those who live in the IJ.S.A Fcr example, it must providepolice services,courts,a legislativebody {Cr-ll;::,.:r,r:, j11;,dsj. ili,.i:,;i..ri ,:11r": fense against foreign invaders, and the like. What additional servicesthe federal govemmentshouldprovidehasalwaysbeenthesubiectofdebnt* Cenr.:.r!fi,,1,'1:i;.,.;11.i1!.;i3 i,::,.1;.,r; feel that the federalgovemment should not provide seryilr:s r;':tlitii1r,..r.,,: ,:lii i 1,.,. while liberalswant the govemmentto provideassistancer;ii*;5.fi.1il r.:,i-,-:,,:ri*,-l j.;r,.' 16 Money for medicalcare forthe poor and elderly,assistenceii--.;-lfrr.:rir:;ii,;1,,;,,',i 1,.,, ford decent housing,and aid to educationat all levelsare area: t;i i-{.,.";iii)"..,;ir'r,,,: 1..,1.r11 ;.,,.1 the twentieth century the amount of direct assistancegivri;r.{'t,iniiii'lij';:,i:.,i{::ij!,.i,-iii.t,: creased.Afterconsiderabledebate,SocialSecuritywas esia!,:li:,,ii:d liri: ii.:.:ij_r::. i,i .:,,-', 'rr vide a modest pension for retired people. Today,Social ;cis111riir,;,i.,;i;; ili:..,1ir.: ilnl.lr;:iir,L to people who cannot work becauseof physicalor mental "lisal,::iiiirt\*.i::i t,lil.,i i:. .,,:i,l "'''':r,,: requiredto contribute to the SocialSecuritysystemby paying laxf;r {iiil. ii'i,.,,r:r:i,-:: amount of monthly pension paymentsa personreceiveseiependsur-.r.;ii lir":aj :riiii ir;:ii":.:: age at retirement.Medicareprovidespayrnentof some oi thl rireCil:l ,{:.ii.tili.r!::j:: iii , iirr,r,r,. 65 or older and aid to those unable to work becauseof merital cr *lir1;{si ciisehiir:ii 15
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UNIT5 . Governmentand the American Citizen
IU
Many people think that the governmentshould provide more funds for coliege educationfor those in need,day carefor preschoolchildrenof workingparents,more help for nursinghome expenses, a nationalhealth careprogram,and other benefits. But these are very expensiveprogramsand there is some opposition to the government'sspendinga lot more moneyon socialprograms. IB The most important characteristicof the Americangovernmentdoes not concern what it does or doesn'tdo. lt is the way in which governmentaldecisionsare made-by peopleelectedby citizens.Americanshavethe powerto changetheir representatives {at the end of their term in office) if they are dissatisfiedwith the decisionsbeing made. governmentis slow and inefficientcomparedto a monarchyor dictatorRepresentative ship.But it hasproduceda governmentthat Americanshaveno reasonto fearand many reasonsto admire.Most Americansbelievethat, in spite of its weaknesses, their system government world. is the finest in the of 19 ln | 782,Americanschoseas their nationalbird the bald eagle,one of the largestand most powerful of birds. This high-flyingbird has long been a symbol of freedomand courage.Americans hope and believe that they will always have the courage and strengthto protect the freedomsthat their governmentprovides.Protectingthesefreedoms is the ultimate responsibilityof the Americangovemmentand its citizens. 17
ArrsnYou Reno l. Getting the Message Rereadtheparagraphsindicatedafter eachquestion.Thenanswereach questionby writing Yesor No on eachblankline. 1. Can a resident alien ever becomepresident of the United States?(1) 2. Can anaturaliz,ed,cidznnvote in an American election? (1) 3. Did the majority of eligible American voters vote in the 1996 presidential election? (4) 4. Is a person who is elig;ibleto do something required to do it? (4) 5. Does a person who is neutral support one side in a dispute? (6) 6. Can the U.S. government require a person to servein the mititaryf (Z) 7. Does everyonepay the samepercentageof their income in income tax? (11) 8. Do most people pay their entire federal income tax in one payment per year?
(12) (continucd on tfu nzxt page)
CHAPTER15 . Citizenship:lts Obligatio;s and Privllgs
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9. Are American taxes high compared to those of other" industrialized countries? (i4) _
10. Do consen'atives favor less governmental help to citizens than liberals do? (15)
ll. BuildingYour Vocabulary A. Ihese are the 15 key vocabulary wordsfor thischapter.Theyare botdfaced in the reading.Pronounce thesewordsafteryour teacheranddiscusstheirmeanings. advantage alien* bill compulsory controversy
eligible entitle jury natutalize neutral
obligation oppose pending refundf resistance
Completethesesentenceswith someof thekey vocabulary words.Makethe nounsplural if necessary, anaput eachverb intothecorrecttenseandform. 1. Mr. Brown's income tax return showed that he was
to a(n)
because he had overpaid.
2. Shou1d we lower taxes? There is a lot of aboutthat issue. 3 . Somepeople favor higftrertaxes,and someare against the idea. I have no opinion on the matter.I'm 4. There are two types of American citizens: native-born and
5. In the U.S.,an 18-vear-oldcitizen is
to votq but a resident
alien isn't.
6. A(n)
is a selected group of people who decide legal casesin
court. 7. A proposedlaw being consideredby a legislative body is called a(n) 8. The government wants to raise the prices on postagestamps,but many people this plan. Most people don't want to pay more for stamps. 9. This court caseis delaved 10. Citizens have the right and the *Alicn
can be a noun or an adjective. tRcfund canbe a noun or a verb.
UNIT5 o Governmentand the AmericanCitizen
IT
the arrival of an important witness. to vote.
11. Pedrois a permanent resident in the U.S., but he hasn't become a cittzen yet. He is a(n) 12. Oneof the
of becominS a citrzen is that cittznns can vote in
local, state, and national elections.
lll. SharpeningReadingSkills Many English words have two or more meaningfs.To understand what you read, you need to consider the context in which these words are used. Rereadthe paragraphsthat the followingwords appear in. Then put a check(/) before the sentencethat uses the word as ft is usedin the paragraph.
Example The word neutral in paragraph 6: _4.
,/
The car is in neutral. It won't move. b. I want a new jacket in a neutral color: white, beige, or gray. c. I'm not siding with you or your wife in your divorce case. I'm neutral.
1. The word ali.enin paragraph1: a. In that sciencefiction movig the main charaeteris an alien from the planet Mars. b. He has lived alone in a hut for 35 years. His behavior is alien to us. c. He's an alien now, but he wants to becomean American ctfiznn. 2. The word voi.ceinparagraph 4: a. Her singing voice is beautiftrl. b. Should children have a voice in making family decisions? c' Is this verb in the active or passivelloise? 3. The wordbill in paragraph5: a. The president won't sign that bill, so it will probably never becomealaw. b. Did you pay your electric bdl yet? c" I don't have any changie.Can I put a $1 bill in this coffeemachine? 4. The word.draft in paraSraph7: a. Pleaseclosethe window. I don't like the cold draft. b. This isn't the final version of my paper. Ifs just the first draft. c. Somepeoplewere againstthe draft during the Vietnam War.
(continueil on thc nzxt paqe)
C H A P T E1R5 . C
5. Tlre wordgradunted inparaSraph 11: a. My sister €iaduated from ntedical school last month. Nor,r'she,sa doctor. b. This is a graduated series of exer-cises.Each one is a harder than the one before. c. My college graduated 525 students last year.
tii ft
,B lt 'li .t! iit
ft
l.l
s
6. The word retut-n in paragraph 12:
fit|
a. Pleasereturn this book to the library. b. Sevenpercentis a goodreturn on money in a savingsaccount. c. The U.S. tax return is very complicated.
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lV. Understanding ldioms and Expressions Workwrtha partner.An eachblankline,writetheletterof thecorrect phraseto complete the give theparagraphsin whichthe expressions sentence.Thenumbersin parentheses are used. 1. Tostag in offite (5) means a. to refuse to leave one's place of work b. to be reelectedto a political job 2. Unrl.eSarn (12) is a. your father's brother b. a symbol of the American government 3. Grossdomtstfuprodrct(14) means a. a Iargleitem made and used in the U.S. b. the value of all goodsand servicesproduced in the U.S. in a particular year And tlrc like (15) means_. a. and similar services b. and other servicesthat peopleenjoy 5. SociatSecuritg (t6) means a. the protection of goodfriends b. a pension provided by the government
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UNIT5 . Governmentand the American Citizen
IT
V. llaking Words Apart A. Witha partner,writethe abstractnounfor eachverb listedbelow.(Anabstractnounis a wordthatrefersto an idearatherthana concretething.)lJsea dictionaryfor hetpif necessary. Somecommonendingsfor abstractnounsareflent, -ance,-tion,and-sion. Sometrmes thenounandverbare spelledexacflythe same. Example assist
assistance
1. communlcate _
7. produce
2. complain
8. protest
3. defend
9 . refund
4. express
10. require
5. oppose
11. resist
6. participate B. Pronounce theseverb/ nounpairsafteryour teacter. Notethata snrss changemay occur evenwhenthespelltngsof the nounand verb are the same.ln two-syllable pairsof this type, thenounis generallysfressedon the first syllableand the verbon the second (asin items#8 and #9). Nounsendingwrth-tionor -sionare stressedon thenext-foJast syllable.
Vl. PracticingSentencePatterns Paragraphs5-T tn the reading talk about people having opposingideasabout a political issue.Here are somemore examplesof these phrasesand patterns: I'm in favor of strong gun-control laws. I'm opposedto allowing private citizens to own handguns. I'm for mo e gun-control laws. I'm againstprivate ownership of handguns. I support stricter gun control. I opposethe easy purchase of handguns. Try usingsomeof thesepatterns.Ihen shareyour sentenceswith threeclassmates. 1. Write a sentencee4pressingyour opinion about using federal money to help peoplepay for legal abortions. 2. Wflte a sentenceexpressingyour opinion about a peacetimemilitary draft
CHAPTER 15 . Citizenship:lts Obligationsand Privileges
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Vll. Sharing ldeas A. lssues Debatetheseissuesin smallgroups.Thenchooseoneand writeaboutit. 1. Shouldvotingfbe mandatoryfor all American citizens? 2. If thereis a draft. shouldmiiitarv servicebe mandatorvfor women as well as men? 3. Shouldpeoplewho refuseto servein the military be sent to prison? B. On a Personal Note Writeaboutoneof thesetopics. 1. Summaiz,e whata personhas to do to becomean Ameri can ciltzen.Do you think the requirementsare reasonable? 2. Do you think the American government provides enough services and benefits to the nation's residents? If not what additional help is needed? Should raxes te higher so that ttre government can provide more assistance to individuals and families?
3. Write about something you are opposed to. Explain why you oppose it.
UNIT5 r Governmentand the AmericanCitizen
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'0 ,, tUonlil al|
Capitalism and the American Econo
ulf/F/u', tFTwEco\afitc wA n wffgglwtE,'luhf @ t6tf ?!,,
BrroneYou Rrno Discuss 1. If we say that the economyof a counby is strong or healthy, what do we mean?What doesthat say about employmeng salaries,prices, production of goods,and so on? 2. Whatis capitalism?What are its main characteristics? 3. What is competition? When is it good?When is it bad?
Guess Tryto answerthe questions. Thenlookfor the answers in thereading. 1. How many Americans own sharesof stock in companiestradedon the two major stock exchanges? Check (/) one 10 miiiion
60 million
120 million
2. About how many Americans go bankrupt each year? Check 1/) one:
500,000
lmillion
5million
3. About how many women own their own businesses? Check (/) one: 6 million
9 million
12 million
Capitalism end the Arnerican Econornry
!
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Tbe Basic Principles of Cepitalism The U.S.A.is a capitalistic country. In a capitalistic economy, businessesare privately owned and operated. The govemment's role in the business world is limited. Its main function is to protect each part of the economy-big business,small business,workers, and consumers-from abuse. In American capitalism, even such basic needs as transportation, communications, and health care are provided by private companies. 2 In a capitalisteconomy,pricesvarywith changesin supply and demand.Whenthere are more applesavailablethan peoplewant to buy,the price of applesgoesdown;when there is a shortage,the price goes up. Of course, prices of goods and services are also affected by the cost of producing them. 3 Under ideal conditions, a free economy (with limited govemment controls) is good for everyone.Workers can choose their careers; they can change iobs to get higher wages, better working conditions, or professional advancement; and they can form unions with other workers to demand better treatment from their employer.Manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers c:rn also do well in a capitalist system. They profit when their businessesare successful. 4 Competition is an essentialelement of capitalism.tn order to compete,businesses must operate efficiently, economically, and creatively. Because of competition, customers receive high-quality merchandise at the lowest possible prices. When there is a lack of competition in an industry a monopoly may develop. This can happen when a company buys its competitors or when a company sells its products below cost for a while in order to drive competitors out of business.To prevent such abuses,there are national laws prohibiting most monopolies. t
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UNIT6 o TheWorld of AmericanBusiness
ln a capitalistic economy,disagreementsbetween employeesand employerscan lead to work stoppagescalled strikesA strike occurswhen unionizedemployeesrefuse to work until their demandsare satisfied.n strikein a vital industrycan disruptthe entire nationaleconomy.For example,if there is a strike in the transportationindustry, companiesthat dependon trainsor trucksto transportraw materialsand / or finished productsmust shut down. Theiremployeesare,therefore,laid off. When workers'incomesare greatlyreduced,they do not spend as much.This, in turn, affectsthe income of businessesthat usually sell to those workers.Also, when large numbersof workers go on strike,the public may be greatly inconvenienced.Strikescan shut down transportation or cut off food or fuel suppliesto largeareas. Although capitalism has made most Americansprosperous,not all have benefited. Foreigncompetition and factory automation have caused many semiskilledworkers who were earning good wages in manufacturingindustries,such as automobile production,to lose their iobs. Many of those able to get new employmenthad to settle for lower-payingjobs. At the end of the twentieth century severalmultinational treatiesgreatlyexpanded the idea of competition to what is calleda "freeglobal economy."This meansthat businessesin different countries can export their goods to the U.S. and other countries without paying tariffs (taxes imposed upon imports in order to favor the goods of the importing country).A freeglobal economyis good for the consumerwho can purchase cheapermerchandisefrom countrieswhere the cost of doing businessis lower than it is in the U.S.Howevet it is not good for Americanworkerswho may lose their iobs as a result of that competition. Today'sAmerican capitalism benefits most workersas well as businessowners.However,not everyoneis prosoerousin the U.S.About 127"of the population haveearnings below the poverty line established by the government. Some people cannot get a decent-payingiob for reasonssuch as illness or disability, old age, drug or alcohol addiction, or lackof educationor iob-relatedskills.Most people with marketableiob skills can earn a living in the U.S.,and there are many opportunities for learningtheseskills.
of capitnlism? Wftatarethreecftaracteristics
Whobenefits fromtariffs? Stocks and Bonds American businessesneed huge amounts of money to develop new products, purchase new equipment, build factories,and pay other expensesof doing business.This money is known as capital.Much of it comes frorn investors (capitalists),who expectto receivea profitable return on the money that they invest. Without investors,the American economy would not be able to grow and produce the goods that consumerswant. tn other words, a capitalist economy depends on capitalists to keep it growing. Most investments take one of two forms--stocks or bonds. Stockholderspurchase 10 shares of a business.lf the businessdoes well, they share in the profits of the company On the other hand, pmple who purchase bonds lend their money by receivingdividends. to a business in exchangefor a fixed rate of retum (a percentageof the face value of the 9
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CHAPTER 16 r Capitalismand the AmericanEconomy
bond) known as interest. Both stockholdersand bondholdershope that the valueof The Stocksand bondsaretradedon nationalexchanges. will increase. their investments City. york New York As result, in a the Wall Street on is located Exchange Stock New prices are usually affected by Stock Wall Street. known as world of investorsis commonly the outlook for the comthe profitsof the company,the generaleconomicclimate,and
Thefloor ofthe NewYork Stock Exchange
pany in the rrearfuture. Bond prices are primarily influencedby interest rates.lf interest rates rise, bond prices usually fall and vice versa. In recent years,there has been a huge growth in the voh-rmeof stock and bond sales. 11 Between 1990and 199, the number of shares of stock traded on exchangeseach year rose from about 4.5 billion to more than 350 billion. On an averagetrading day,more than a billion sharesof stockchangehandson the New YorkStockExchangeand on the NasdaqStock Exchange.It is not unusual for each of those exchangesto handle more than 2 billion sharesin a day.In 1987,the value of all stockstradedon stockexchanges was $1.9trillion. By l999,that figure had iumped to more than $14 trillion. In 1980,only about 27 million Americansownedstocks.Today,more than 120million 12 individuals are stockholders. And many more are indirectly involved in the markets through their participationin pensionplans,credit unions,and insuranceplans.In fact, most of the stocks and bonds that are traded are owned not by individuals but by large investorssuch as banks,insurancecompanies,pensionfunds,and mutual funds (companiesthat investin many differentbusinessesin order to minimize risk)-
stocfuand bonds? between Whatis tftedifference Whereere stocfsanil bondstradeil? The Cashless Society 13
When people buy merchandiseor services,they often do not pay for their purchases with cash.One very popular method of making paymentsis by check Most Americans
UNIT6 . The World of AmericanBusiness
@--
r
t
havecheckingaccountsand haveaccessto their moneyat the manyATMs(automatic tellermachines)found all overthe country. 14 Another form of paymentis the use of credit cards.One type of credit card is issued by a particularstore to its regularcustomers.At the end of each month, the customer receivesa bill showingthe chargepurchasesmadeduringthat periodand how much is owed.The customermust paythe balancewithin threeor four weeks.lf the paymentis late,the customeris usuallychargeda late fee.Most credit cardspermit the userto pay only a small portion of the total due. lf the customerdoes this, interest is chargedon the unpaidbalance. 15 Yetanothertype of credit cardis issuedby banksor other financialinstitutions.Some of the most widely used are MasterCard,Visa,AmericanExpress,and Discover.These cardscan be used for purchasesat any businessestablishmentthat has agreedto acceptthem. Themerchantsendsthe salesslip to the issuinginstitution,which paysthe amount of the charge(lessa discount)to the merchantand then bills the cardholder As with store credit cards,interestis chargedon any unpaid balance. 16 Theeasyavailabilityof credithasgivenAmericanconsumerstremendouspurchasing power.But it has also led to a huge amount of debt. Americansnow owe more than $700billion for credit purchases(not including mortgageloans).Most people pay their debts regularly.But if they haveunexpectedproblemssuch as unemploymentor an illness,there may not be enoughmoneyto makethe pairments.If paymentsare not made for severalmonths, the sellermay sue the debtor in court or take legalaction to repossessthe merchandise. "t7 Thedebtor who thinks that there is little chanceto repaythe debts may chooseto go into bankruptcy to be relieved of them. If the debtor has any sizableassets, these may be sold to partially pay the creditors.Then, the debtor no longer has the cbligation to pay backthe rest of the debts.While bankruptcymay sound like an attractivesolution, it is availableonly once every6 years,and it results in a loss of credit to the bankupt person.That is, the person will be unableto get loans or credit cardsfor a long period of time, until he can show the ability and willingnessto pay debts. About I million Americansgo into bankuptcy eachyear.Howevet most people pay their bills regularly, and the economy is greatlystrengthenedby the billions of dollars of credit purchases made each year. 18 A recent development in the cashlesssociety is the use of debit cards. Like credit cards,debit cards can be used to make purchases.However,they do not involve credit. Whena debit card is used. money is immediately deducted from the use/s bank accounr and paid to the seller. The use of a credit or debit card is necessaryin purchasesmade by telephone or on the Intemet. Debit cards are a way of doing business without increasingone s indebtedness. 19 Another way of making purchaseswithout cash is by obtaining a loan. A person wishing to buy an expensive item such as a car or house can bonow the money and pay it back over a period of years. The payments are usually made each month until the amount due has been paid with interest. For example,a car may be paid for over a fiveyear period. A loan taken out to buy a house (a mortgage) may be paid back over 25 to 30 years.These loans enable Americans to buy the things they need and want before they have all the money to pay for them. Low-cost loans enable many Americansto go to college.Many collegeloansallow studentsto delay repaymentuntil aftergraduation. CHAPTER 16 . Capitalismand the AmericanEconomy
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Z ,nr.*ro*
Why is the lJ.S.calledA cashless society? ComFrohGnslon What is oneadvantage and onedisadvantnge of buying on credit?
Recent Trends in Business 20
Many changesin the way businessesoperate have occurredover the past 50 years. Some of the most interestingare the increaseduse of computers;the increasein businessownership,especiallyof franchises;the increasingnumber of businessesownedbv womenand minorities;and the growingnumberof home-basedbusinesses 21 Computers in Businrs:Although computers have been used by businessesfor many years,until recentlyonly largecompaniescould afford to own them. The 1980ssaw a breakthroughin computer developmentwhen personal computers were introduced. Theyrequirelittle maintenanceand can be operatedby officepersonnelwith a minimum of training.Because of theirwidespreaduse,mass-produced programshavebeen developedthat can keep track of inventoryand sales, keep payroll records,and even generatechecks.Today,a businesscan hardlyafford not to haveits own computer.(See Chapter l8 for further discussionof computers.) Everyyear,increasingnumbers of Amerrcansgc into businessfor 22 SmallBusinrsTrends: themsefves.Theyare calledentrepreneurs.ln the 1960s,there were about 8 million individually owned companies;in 1999,about I 7 million Americansownedtheir own businesses.For the personwho wantsto be his/herown boss,Americancapitalismprovides the exciting (though risky) opportunity to try it. Many people who want to becomeentrepreneursdo so by purchasinga franchise.A 23 company that has developeda successfulbusiness may decide to licenseother companies to operate similar businessesunder the same name. That licenseis calleda franchise.The original company is known as the franchinr,and the licensed companiesare Each franchiseepays the franchisor for the right to use the franchisename franchisea. and ideas.The franchisorassistsits franchiseesin selectinga site for the business,purchasingequipment,and leaminghow to operatethe business.Advertisingis done on a national basis.The franchisorcontrols the products sold, so consumersknowthe product will be the samewhetherthey buy it in New Yorkor California. In the U.S.,there are more than 500,000franchised businesseswith salesexbeeding $700billion annually.That is morethan one-third of all retail salesin the U.S.Although the most well-known franchisesare fast-food businesses, franchisesare available in many industries, such as real estate brokerages,video rental stores, automotive parts stores, and travel and employment agencies.Why do so many people choose to buy franchises?A franchise is the least risky way to go into business for oneself.The franchise'snational reputation, advertising,training program, and businessexperiencegive the franchiseea big advantageover independent businesses. The growing trend toward businessownership Womanand MinofitgBtsinrrlsOwnership: by women and minorities is partly due to the influence of the civil rights and women's movements,which have encouragedthese groups to go into fields offering greateropportunity for advancement.In 1999,about 9 million women owned businesses,while membersof minoritygroups ownedanother 2 million.
!.1 fl
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UNIT6 . The World of AmericanBusiness
Ig
Home-basedbusinessand people doing their employers'work Businessc: Home-based from home is also on the rise-,Thishas been brought about largelyby the expandeduse of personalcomputersand their ability to connectwith other computersto obtain information and relaydata to a central business.Thereare now 4 million people operatout of their home,and it is estimatedthat that numberwill increase ing their businesses rapidly during the first decadeof the twenty.firstcentury.
in small-business ownership. Namethreerecentdevelopments 27
Americancapitalismhas provedto be one of the most productiveeconomicsystems in history.In a capitalisticsystem,people try to produce better goodsand servicesbecausethere are financialrewardsfor doing so. In addition, the freedomof choicethat capitalism providesappealsto the independentAmerican character.With few exceptions, no outside powertells an entrepreneurhow much to chargefor goodsor services, and peopleare freeto decidehow they will earn and spendtheir income.TheAmerican economy is basedupon the belief that everyindividual kncws what is bert for himself and must take responsibilityfor his decisions.Risksexist, but so do opportunitiesfor advancement.Most Americansgladly accept both.
Arrrn YouRrao l. Getting the Message On eachblankline,writethe letterof the correct phraseto completethe sentence. 1. Paragraph1 saysthat the American government a. is not allowed to regulatebusiness b. regulatesbusinessto someextent 2. Paragaph.Ssaysthat a. workers shouldn't gioon strike b. strikes sometimescreateproblems for the American ptiblic 3. According to paragfaph 10, peoplewho buy stocks and bonds a. hope to make aprofit b. uzuallybecome wealthy 4. According to paragraphs16 and 17, buying on credit a. usuallyleads to bankruptcy b. can lead to more debt than the consumer can handle (continuzd on the nact page)
ano!E lrnglgnlfglgrny cHAprER 16. Capitatism ----------@
5. The U.S. is called a cashlesssociety because a. most people dont have enougih cash b. people use checks and credit cards instead of paper money to pay for maly things
;l t"
6. According to paragraphs 23 and ZL,buytng a franchise is _. a. one common way to become an entrepreneur in the U.S. b. a form of business ownership used only in the fast-food industry
ll. BuildingYourVocabulary A. Iheseare the 15 key vocabulary wordsfor thischapter.Theyare boldfaced in the reading.Pronounce thesewordsafteryour teacher,anddiscussthek meanings. asset bankruptcy bond capitalism credit"
debt economy goodsf interest* investor
monopoly profit* service* share* stock
B. Complete thesesentenceswith someof the keyvocabulary words.Makethe nounsplura! tf necessary. 1. The American
is sometimes called a cashless societv because
most people pay for things with checksand
cards.
2. Peoplelend money to abusinessbybuying
or they purchase
apieceof abusinessbybuying sharesof 3. A person can buy part of a businessby purchasing
of a stock
sold on a stock exchange. 4. When you get your hair cut at the barber or beauty shop or your coat clearrcdat the dry cleaner's,you are purchasing!a,/an 5. When you buy a jacket or somemilk, you are purchasing 6.
dependson competition to keep prices down and quality high.
7. When American Telephone and Telegraphwas providing nearly all the telephoneservicein the U.S., it had a(n) 8. A person who has a lot of
*These words can be used as nouns or verbs. tTtris noun meaning "merchandise" is always plural.
UNIT6 . The World of AmericanBusiness
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may decideto giointo bankruptcy.
9. Valuable things that you own (such,as a car, a housg or stock) are your
10. Ifyou buy 100sharesofstock for $45 a share and sell those shares a year later for $60 a sharg you havemadea nice
on your investment.
C. Choosethecorrectwordto completeeachsentence. Thenwriteit on the blanklinein eachsentence. 1. You bought a pair of glovesusing your credit card. A few dayslater, you refurned the gloves to the store. The store
your account.
(credited / charged) 2. Your mortgage application has been approved, so you can buy a condominium. The bank has agreed to -_-you (borrow /Lend)
the money for the purchase.
3. You purchased 100 shares of Delicious Candy Company stock. When the company had a jump in sales, you received
(divitunds /
interest)
4. You have $L,000in your savingsaccount.The bank paysyou 4o/o annually on this money. (divinznns/ interest) 5. Youjust won a miliion dollars on a qtrtz show.You also own three homes,four cars, a big diamond ring and a painting by Picasso.You have a lot of (asse*/ dzbts) 6. You own your own business,and two peoplework for you. They are youl (empLog ees/ evnplogers) 7. The price of your Delicious Candy Company stock went downbelow whatyou paid for it If you sell this stock now, you'll take a
(profit/
,oss) 8. A person who goesinto
will have trouble getting credit for
severalyears. (debt/ bankruptcu)
--------E
CHAPTER16 o Capitalismand the American Economy 'i j ',1
t
lll. Sharpening ReadlngSkills Words in Context Underlinethe meaningof the italicizedword as used in the paragraphindicated. 1. What doesstrike mean in "to go on strike"? (5) a. to hit a person or an object b. to refuse to work until one's employer makes some improvement in working conditions, benefits, and/or salary 2. What does return mealt in "a profitable return"? (9) a. to come back to aplacn b. income from an investment 3. What does interest meart in "interest rates"? (10) a. something someone wants to know about b. a fixed return on an investment 4. What doesstock mean in "stocks and bonds are traded"? (10) a. shares of companies for sale to the public b. merchandise sold in a store
lV. Understandingldiomsand Expressions in columnI wfh tts definibonin column2 by Workwitha partner.Matcheach expression give the paragraphsin writingthecorrect numberson thelines.Ihe numbersin parentheses whichthe expressionsare used.If you needhelp,usea dictionary. 1. changehands(11) 2. cutoff (5)
-
a company has been pennanently closed
-
original price of a bond when issued
3. earn a living (S) 4. facevalue (10)
-
where stocks and bonds are sold
-
closed,usually temporarily
s. laid otr (s)
-
acneptless than you wanted or expected
6. out of business (4)
-
transfer from one orvner to another
7. setdefor {6)
-
how much of a product is available comparedto the amount consumers want tobuy
8. shut down (5)
-
terminated, sometimestemporarily, from a job becauseone is not needed
9. supply and demand (2)
-
make enough money to pay one's exllenses
-
Prevent accessto somettrin$
10. Wall Street(10)
UNIT6 . The World of American Business
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V. Taking Words Apart Workwitha partner.Underline lhe correctwordform(nounor adjective) to completeeach senfence. l. Capitalismis the {economy / economic)systemof the U.S. 2. T-heAmerican (economy/ econontir)dependson capitalistswho investin businesses. 3. In a (capitalkm / capitalkti"c)ecnnomy,businessesare privately owned. 4. Peoplebuy stocksand bondsbecausethey hope to make a (proft / profitabl"e). 5. Sometimestheir investmentsare(proft / profitable),and sometimesthey lose money. 6. Peoplewho make a goodliving arefurcsperitg/ prosperous).
:
Vl. PracticingSentencePatterns
Tc show the existence(or nonexistence)of something,usethereand the verbbe.lJse the singular formof beif the complementa4rnoun is singiularor uncountable.Use the plural form if the noun is plural. Iook at theseexamples. Plural
Singular There has been There was
prosperity. a strike.
There have been There were
many strikes. Jebts.
Wntethereplusthecorrectformof bein thefollowing Addnotwherenecessary. sentences. about 3,000 companieslisted on the New York Stock
1.
Exchange.
2. 3. 4.
25 studentsin my English classlast semester. a lot of rain so far this year. any snowhere last sumaer.
yourownsentences Nowcomplete usingthispattern'. 1. There is 2. 'herehavebeen
I
i
3. There weren't
-l I
I -1
I
16 . Capitalismand the AmericanEconomy CHAPTER
-_@
Vll. Sharing ldeas A. lssues Debatetheseissuesin smallgroups.Thenchooseoneand writeaboutit.
'i
1. Which is better: to borrow money from a bank in order to start your own businessor to wait until you have enougfrto go into businesswith your own money? 2. Is it better to be empioyedby a companyor seH-employed? 3. Should government employees(for example,teachers,police, and firefighters) be allowed to go on strike, or is this too harmful to society?
i.
:: r'i
::
B. On a Personal Note Writeaboutoneof fhesetopics.
.'
1. Would you like to own your own buginesssome day? Why or why not?
,a
2. Do you use a credit or debit card?Does it heh you or createproblemsfor you? 3. Do you think people should ever borrow money? Under what circumstancesdo you consider this a good idea?
1..
li
4. Another trend in the American workplace concernshow people dress.In the 1990s,"casual Friday" becamevery popular. Do you think that the way people dressaffects how they work? Explain.
F El 8t
t: $i
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t. lt i t; Ir l, :? t:l
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UNIT6 o The World of AmericanBusiness
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The American Worker
Workerson strike
BrronrYou Rrao Discuss 1. If workers are not satisfiedwith their salary or working conditions, what can they do? 2. Whatis the differencebetween ablue-collar job and a white-collar job? 3. If you owned your own business,what kinds of benefits would you provide for your employees?
ri#
*
*
Guess
'.4 I
Tryto answerthe questions. The:n lookfor the answers in the reading.
I
il 'a i
s
1. How many hours a week doesthe avera{eAmerican work? chr,':jr i,fJ one: 57 -37 -47
i;
2. Whatpercenta+eof the American work force is female?Checkf,/J *ne:
.Ii .t] 1i
{.s
almost2Ao/o
almost 35%
almost 5C%
3. About how many Americans earn more than $1 mi'llion a year?Check (./) one:
,4 i
I
30,000 _
J
140,000 _300.000
The Arnerican, Workep"
":
A Holiday That Honors Workers & .il
It's called Labor Day,but it is certainly not a time for hard wor]< Or: 'iit i-r.:.11i:4,., rj:'s a day set aside for relaxation and fun. a time for parades and speecl:;;l f-i,:r-,i,,rinq 'he achievementsof the American work force (about 140 million Loec,pir,,, l'i:i,,.,i;,Jircl-:i i fie U.SA, labor Day is celebratedo4.tfre firs! Mondaf in Septernber. z The origins of this holiday date back to a time when Americi'r ryi.',-:1i,.,.,,r-1y.: ;i1,;j1:;rl havethe kind of income,protections,and beneffs that they do today.'ii;l sii;iy i-,1i,abor DaybeganwiththedreamofamannamedPeterl.McGuire.L,lcGuirc',r,:ir.-, l,.r,..,rjtill lr:i?, long beforethe U.S.had laws prohibiting child labor.He was the ier-ii:,,.irii;j iri a F$r-:r family. To help support his brothers and sisters, he went to wcr"klii ; furniture factory when he was only I I yearsold. He becamea carpenterand, eventuail.i'.liir.,6iic:,;ilientof a national union of carpenters.McGuire wanted to establish a hnllda.i 'ir hcii,.y"thr industrial spirit, the great vitalforce of this nation." ln 1882,h*;rnd a ii-,,rl|:hinl:it n:rr.,:cl Matthew Maguire suggestedthat New York City hold a parade to hcnoi workers.Some 10,000people showedup to participate!In 1894,I-aborDa,;beca;:ii. ir:ierai hi..lij,-t1,,. "i and it was quickly adopted by all the states. ' 3 Paradesand speechesare iustone aspectof the L,aborDay hclidal, ll!nr';.,-.:-,orlri:1,: is a 3day weekendfor most workersand students, many people il-q€lt i,:-,r:1ir,:'1, 1::.1;li-11., doors with friendsand family on this last summer holida.,' 1
ri ri x x
+ c
Wftatis thepurpo*of LaborDay?
UNIT6 r The World of AmericanEusiness
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The Role of Labor 4
5
6
7
8
9
Unions
On Labor Day,when Americanscelebratethe good fortune of the Americanworker, of labor unions.A labor union is a groupof theyare reallyhonoringthe achievements workersdoing the samegeneraltype of work (a craft union) or employedin the sameindustry (an industrial union). Workersioin unions to negotiate more effectivelywith management(to bargainwith their employersfor better contracts).Thereare unions for miners,musicians,public employees(suchas teachersand police officers),janitors, nurses,plumbers,factoryworkers,constructionworkers,employeesir the transportation industries,and manyothergroups. Unions are democratic institutions. They have elected leaders(some are paid and somearevolunteers)who try to carryout the group'sgoals.The union'sleadersand important decisionsare determinedby a majority vote of the membership.Union members pay dues to support the activitiesof the union. workers.During For more than 100years,Americanunions havebeen representing the early years, there were many violent incidents becausemanagementconsidered unions illegal and tried to preventworkersfrom organizing.Latet unions becameso powerfulthat federallaws were requiredto control union abuses.Today,unions are an acceptedpart of the workplace.Altogether,about 12"/"of.the nation's wcrkers-appro-imately l6 million Americans-belong to unions. Unions have made great gains in getting employeesgreater iob security, higher wages, a shorter workweek, extra pay for overtime work, paid vacations, sick leave, health insurance,pension plans,and safe,sanitaryworkingconditions.Also, as a result of union efforts, many laws have been passed that protect and help workers. Federal laws prohibit employers from discriminating against workersbecauseof race, religion, sex, age, or physical disability. Today,most workers must be paid at least the federal minimum hourly wage ($5.15in 2000).Federallaw also requiresmost employersto pay employeesat least time-and-a-half(l lZ times their regularhourly rate)when they work overtime. Unions have also fought to protect children in the worKorce. In most states, children under the age of 14 are not allowed to hold iobs, though there are some exceptions to this restriction. For example, children are allowed to work part time to deliver newspapersor work as entertainers. In attempting to achieve its goals, a union may employ its most powerful w€opoll: the strike. A strike occurs when union members decide not to return to work until their employer gives in to some or all of their demands.Workerson strike picket their employer by walking back and forth in front of their place of business,carrying signs stating their complaints. ln spite of the gains that unions have made for workers,in the last few decadesof the twentieth century American labor unions lost membership. The percentageof unionized workersin the workforceand the actual number of union members both declined. l.abor unions have always been strongest in construction, manufacturing,mining, and transportation industries. In recent years, becauseof the automafon of American factories and the shifting of many factories to foreign countries,the number of blue-collar employees(those whose iobs are mostly more physical) has greatly declined. Howevet
CHAPTER17 . The AmericanWorket
@
morewhite-collarworkers(thosewhoselobsare mostlyin offices)are becomingunionized.Forexample,about 37"/o of governmentemployeesbelongto unions. 10 Thoughthe numberof union membershasbeendeclining,unionsremainimportant in the U.S.Collectivebargainingagreementsbetweenlabor and managementalsoaffect nonunionmembersin unionizedbusinesses. Theseagreementscovernot only salary schedulesbut also working conditions,workers'rights, and benefits.Moreover,labor unions havesome political influence.The Americanlabor movementdoes not haveits own political parryas in some other countries.However,union leadersinfluencelegislation and governmentpolicyby lobbying(talkingto legislatorsin the statecapitalsand in Washington,D.C.about their goals).In electionyears,most candidateswant the 5lrppott of organizedlabol so they must be concernedabout the needsand interestsof unions. Unions encouragetheir workersto contributeto the political campaignsof candidates they considerpro-laborand to vote for candidateswho support workers'interests. 11 Most Americanunions belongto the AFL-CIO,an organizationthat combinedthe formerAmericanFederationof Laborand the Congressof IndustrialOrganizations. This federation,with some l3 million members,hasa greatdeal of politicalinfluence. 12 Of course,many companies,institutions,and occupationsare not unionized.Those that are cannot require prospectiveemployeesto join the union in order to be considered for a lob. However,in some industries,workersmust agreeto ioin the union after they are hired. In other places of business,union membership is optionat. In some cases,workerswho choosenot to ioin must still contributeto the union becausethey, along with the union members,benefit from union achievements.
Listat leastftuewaAsin whichunionsftavehelpedworkers. Protection for the American Worker Most American workershave some protection against sudden stoppageof income.If workersare laid off (losetheir jobs) through no fautt of their own, they may be eligible for unemployment compensation-temporary payments from the government-until they find another iob or their benefit period expires.Another way in which workerscan protect'their paycheck is by purchasing insurancethat guaranteesthe family a regular income if the breadwinner(s)cannot continue working becauseof iniury illness,or death. 14 The most widespreadtype of financial protection of wagesis a federal programcalled Social Security.lt protects workersand their famllies against income loss due to retirement, illness, or death. About 44 million Americans(approximatelyone out of six) receive Social Security pension, disabiliti, or survivors' benefits. Most U.S- workers (employeesand self-employed persons as well) are required to participate in this program. Self-employedpeople pay contributions quarterly. Employees'contributions are deducted from their paycheck each payday.Most workers contribute about 7.65"/"of their wages;the employer contributes an equal amount. The government keepsa record of eachworker'saccount under the person'sSocialSecuritynumber. t5
l
H l,
UNIT6 . The World of AmericanBusiness
E
t)
A workermust contributeto the fund for a specifiedlength of time in orderto be eligible for SocialSecuritybenefits.The amount of money receiveddependson the individuals averageearningsduring his workingyears.However,workersrvith low lifetime eamingscollect benefitsproportionallygreaterin relationto their contributionsthan do those with higherlifetime earnings.The averagemonthly Social Securitycheckis about
s830.
to
For manyyears,regularretirementage has been 65. However,a 1983federallaw providedfora gradualincreasefrom age65 to age67 beginningi,r 2003and endingin2O27. Workersmay chooseto retire and begin receivingpensionpaymentsa fewyearsearlier than the regularretirementage,but then the amount receivedeach month is smaller.
Z *r*ro*
moneufromSocialSecuritq? groups areeligibleto receive of people GomFnetonshnWhatdifferent Living
Standards
For most Americans,Labor Day is an occasionto count their blessings.The U.S.is a prosperousnation. lts unemploymentrate (about4%)is extremelylow.Americansearning the medianannual householdincome (about$4l ,000)or more can live comfortably, own a car,and buy appliancesthat savework and provide entertainment. Yet many people are dissatisfiedwith their earningsand their standard of living. Among those dissatisfiedare the poor,some membersof the middle class,and some women. I999 12"/"ofthepopulation,accordingto Who'spoorintheprosperousU.S.A.?Nearly t8 poverty for a family level at S17,000 statistics. (ln that year,the U.S.government set the of four.) Most poor Americans fall into one or more of these categories:the elderly retired, the physicallyor mentallyill, unskilledworkers,the uneducated,the unemployed, singleparents,children,and minorities.In 1999,those living in povertyincluded 17"/"of all American children and roughly 23"/"of African-Americansand Hispanics.Although the percentageof pmple living in poverty decreasedfrom 1979to 1999,the figure is still high. What can be done? More iob training is needed so that unskilled workerscan develop marketableskills.Also, many peoplefeelthat it would help to raisethe minimum wage (the lowest hourly rate that most employersare allowed to pay employees).A family of three or four living on one persons minimum wage salary is quite poor. The American middle class also has some discontented members. In the 1990s,the l9 U.S.economy was booming, the stock market zoomed upward, and the rich got richer. Between1992and 1997,the number of Americanseaming over $l million a year more than doubled (from about 67,000to about 142,000.)From 1994to 2000,the number of househotdswith a net worth of more than $ I million iumped from 3.5million to 7.I million. Meanwhile, some middle-class workers saw their purchasing power decline slightly; others made only modest gains. Someof the nation's64 million workingwomen are also unhappyabout the business 20 environment. Since the women's liberation movement began in the 1960s,American women have struggled with two maior disadvantagesin the workplace:( I ) men are, on the average,paid more than women to do the same iob, and (2) women havemore dit 17
CHAPTER17 o The AmericanWorker
@
ficulty than men getting promotions to positions of more powerand higherincome.In recentdecades,women have made great progress.The glassceiling,which is the name for the barriersthat hold backwomen and minorities in the workplace,is beingbroken in many areas.Still, althoughalmost half of the Americanwork forceis female,only 4"6 of the top executivesof corporationsare women. Men outeam womensubstantially.For everydollar a man earns,a woman earns 76 cents. By the age of 50,the averageAmerican workingwoman has earnedabout $fOO,OOO during her yearsof employment.Fora man the sameage,the comparablefigure is about $l million. However,womenare nar, rowingthe gap. More and more women are enteringtraditionallymale-dominatedhighpaying professionssuch as medicine, law, engineering,and architecture.American women now earn 39%of the country'smedical degrees and 43/" of its law degrees. Womenare also startingtheir own businessesin increasingnumbers. 21 Though manyAmericansare not totally satisfiedwith the workthey do or the money it brings in, on the whole the American workforce has adjusted well to enormous changesin the past l00years.In 1900,about 20"/oofAmerican womenworked.Today, about 60"/"of women over age 16are employed.During the twentieth century,the per, centageof employedmen age 65 or older fell from about 65"/otoabout 157o. SocialSecurity and other retirementbenefitsdiscourageolder people from workingfull time. At the other end of the age spectrum,more young Americansare attending collegenow and are,therefore,beginningfull-time employmentat a later age.As a result,the number of yearsthat the averageAmerican works full time has shrunk quite a bit since 1900. Also, during the twentieth century the percentageof agricultural workersfell from 40"6 to about 2.6"6of the workforce,and the percentageof other blue-collar workersalso decreased.The maiority of American employees are now white-collar workers.Yearsago, it was common for workersto spend all tlreir working years doing the same iob for the same company.Today,conditions changerapidly, so people are often forced to relocate and learn new skills. From l98l to t985, about I I million adult workerslost their lobs becauseof factoryclosingsand cutbacks.Meanwhile,the number of jobs in high-tech fields has been growing rapidly. 22 One recentworkplacechangeis causingsome unhappiness.Americansarespending more hours on the iob than they did a few decadesago. Americans think of a full-time iob as being 40 hours a week----eighthours a day, five days a week.But, in fact, today the averageAmerican employee works about 47 hours per week, and about 37%of Americans are working 50 or more hours perweek. Compared to 1980,Americansare working the equivalent of two additional weeks a year.Why? To increaseprofits, many companies have "downsized"(decreasedtheir number of employees),and they expect to get more work out of those remaining. Also, to increase their incomes, many Americans "moonlight'-take on a part-time iob in addition to a full-time iob. Americansare now wo*ing more hours than people in any other highly industrialized nation. Even the fapanese,often called workaholics,spend slightly less time on the iob than Americans. The averageAmerican work 1,966hours per year, ignoring the well-known saying that tells them: 'All work and no play makes lack a dull boy." Nowadays,Americans really need that tabor Day holiday more than ever.
UNIT6 r The World of American Business
@ .ri,
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i
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;
ArrenYou Reao l. Getting the Message A. Discussthesequestionswithyour classmates. 0n a separatepieceof paper,write answersto two of them. l. Accordingto the rcadinS,what is goodabout working in the U.S.? 2. What three population giroupshave somedissatisfiedworkers? Why? 3. Why do today's Americans spendfewer years in the workforce than their parents and grandparentsdid? B. Rereadthesecondsectionof thisreading,"TheRoleof LaborUnions." Thenput a check (/) aftereach statement that tellsabouta benefitthat workersget froma union. 1. Unionized workers must pay duesto their union 2. Unions negotiate contracts for their workers and can help them get higher pay. 3. Unions influence lawmakers to passlaws that protect workers. 4. Union membersmust go along with mqiodty decisions even when they don't agreewith tlem. For examplg members are expectedto go on strike if the group votes for ona
workersgetfrom theiremployerin addition C. 0n the job, thewordbeneft meanssomething (/) put pay. Usingthis definition, a check after each item thatis a benefit. to thek 1. waEes
4. paid holidays and paid vacations
2. the right to strike 3 . union membership
5. private pension plans 6. medical, dental, and / or life insurance -
ll. BuildingYour Vocabulary A. Ihese are the 15 keyvocabularywordsfor this chapter.Theyare boldfacedin the reading.Pronouncethesewords afteryour teacher,and discusstheir meanings. abuse* automation benefit" deduct duesf
eligible ne$otiate optional picket* promotion
retire security strike* union volunteer*
*These words can be used as nouns or verbs. tAs it is used in this chapter, duesis always plural.
CHAPTER17 . The AmericanWorker
IE
B. Complete thesesenterrces with someof the keyvocabulary wordson p;9.€:lL|:;.i'lake
the nounspluralif necessary.
1. Labor
are orsanizedgroups of lr.orkers 1,-r,l1t1 fii-;1itr \:.,.,.. type
of work or who work in the same industrv. 2. Many past
of labor and mana$ement eri
the federal government passed laws against them.
3. Union representativesoften
with eri grir;,i ili { riu;:ri1.,.1,rii: :rt)
and tr5r,throu$h compromisg to write a contract that satisfir:r lir:ri'ii:;j,,i..:,."j',, is process is called collective bargaining.
4. Striking workers often
their ernployerl" it.:,r.r"1,.i i1:-trrii: r :
expressingtheir complaints. ).
are people who work for no pay.
6. Many Americans
at a$e 65 and rec*ii"'r
7. Social
provides oisabilir,y protection a;i*
Li jl'r:t-!i,.':.."
:j i,1ll l;:rl:r-ir-:
retirement. 8. Employers
;
C. Matcheachwordin column7 withis definitionin column2 by wrifingffi. ,,:1,,1;,,,a1 numberson the lines. 1. employees
-
individuals, businesses, or insfiil:i.r,.r.!i:iiilri l';i:r, r,'i
2. employers
_
workers
3. self-employed
_work;
4. unemployed
_
). employrrent
who have a boss
ajob
peoplewho own their own businesses not working
(wordshavingsimitarmeanings)artdwhi;:iifr{c #f}[o,i,r.rji:. D. Whichpairsare synonyms (wordshavingopposrtemeanings)? l,VnteS for synonym or A fr.r:'fiilii:iii;:i":iii:,i :,::,t::.! 1. optiona! required 2. hned;laidofforfred_ 3. security; freedom from dangeror risk _ 4. prohibig allow_ 5. labor; rnanagement_ 6. negotiate;bafgain _ 7. de*hne;decrease_
UNIT6 r the Worldof AmericanBusiness
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8. pension; retirement pay 9. volunteer; paid worker -
-
10. deduct; add -
lll. SharpeningReadingSkills Context Clues Oneachblankline,wrrtethe letterof the correctphraseto completethe sentence. 1. In paragraph1, on thecontarq means a. for this reason b. just the opposite 2. In paragraph9, in spiteof thegains that unionshaventademeans a. becauseof the progressof unions b. although unions have made progress 3. In paragraph\0, organizedlnbor rcfers to -. a. employeeswho organizetheir work weli b. rrnionized employees 4. Inparagraph 76, worleersmag chnoseto retire means a. they may quit working permanently b. they may go to sleeoon the job 5. In paragnph L9, the U.S.ecornmgwasboomingmeans a. *rere was abig e4plosion b. there was prosperity
lV. Understandingldioms and Expressions A. 0n eachblankline,writethe letterof thecorrect phraseto completethe sentence.Ihe numbersin parerthesesgive theparagraphsin whichthe expressionsare used. 1. The idiom carry out (5) is used here to mean a. take sometling outside b. do or accomplishsomething (7) refers to -. 2. \\e e4pressiontim.e-and.-a-half a. a higfrer rate of pay for working overtime b. workinglhalf the usual time 3. Minimumwage (7, 13) means a. the lowest hourly rate that most employersare allowed to pay b. the lowest annual salary that any worker c'anbelegally paid (continuzil on the nzxt page)
CHAPTER17 . The AmericanWorker
w
4. Givein (8) means_
a. refuse to r"""pi b. stop arguingand do what someoneelsewants J.
Blrc-collnr worleers (g) _. a. wearblue suits and ties to work b. often do physical work
6. White-coliarworkers(g) _. a. areall highly educatedprofessionals b. usually work in offices 7. Workersgetl^ai^d.otr03)when they a. behavebadly on the job b. are not neededon thejob
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9. Purchasirrypower(t9) means a. the right to buy a lot b. the value of money in terms of how much it will buv 10. A worleaholic(ZZ) is a person who __ a. carlt stop workingland works too much b. ddnks alcohol on tle job B. Discussthe meaningsof the followingexpressions.The numbersin parentheses give the paragraphsin whichthe expressions are used. on strike (8) laid off (compare tobeingfired) (B) glassceiling (20)
V. TakingWords Apart Oneachblankline,answer fte questionsaboutthewordparts. 1. The prefix dz-hasseveralmeanings,including"down," "removal,',or "separation.'which meaningdoesde-havein d.ed.u.ct, itecriru and,ibcrease? 2. What doesauto- mean in automatinn and,autom.obilz? What does-mnbilemean?
UNIT6 r The Wodd of AmericanBusiness
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I i
Vl. Practicing SentencePatterns Notice the use of for example in the following excerpt: In mnst states, chi6ren under the age of 14 are rnt allowed to h.oMjobs, though there are somz mceptions to this restrbtion. For example, children are allowed to work part fime to ilcliver n"ewspapersor work as entertainsrs. Writeyour awn completesentencesafter for example. 1. Most American employees enjoy manybenefits. For examplg
2. Workers may collect Social Security for several different reasons. For examplg
Vll. Sharing ldeas A. lssues Discusstheselssuesin smallgroups.Thenchooseoneandwrite aboutit. l. One hundred years ago,many peopleworked 10 hours a day, 6 days a week. Now Americans feel that 47 hours a week is too many hours to work. How manyhours aweekshouldapersonhave to devoteto making aliving? 2. When choosing a job, what's more important-the salary or the benefits? 3. Workplace privacy is a big issuein the U.S. Have you ever worked for an employer (in the U.S. or elsewhere)that intruded on your privacy, for example, by requiring drug and alcohol testin$, asking about your income from other sources,readinglyour e-maif monitoringyour job performance,searchingiyour desk, or enforcing a dresscode.How much doesan employer have a rigilrt to know about employees?Whatbehavior should an employerbe allowed to control? B. On a Personal Note Wrtteaboutoneof ftese topics. 1. Which gives a person a better life: working more hours and earning more money orworking fewerhours and having more leisure timebutless money? 'Write a 2. Reaalthe Help Wanted adsin local newspapers.Selectan ad to answer. job application letter and a r6sum6.Ask your teacherfor help with tle format. 3. Describe a job you once had. Write about ihe work and explain why you e4joyed it or hated it.
CHAPTER17 r The AmericanWorker
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High-Tech CommunicaticHG.s $lwSuatn
TERMfiAFEROIiP 'TTIEDECIJI'IEcF
E'UCATIO[{' A11ERICAAI
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BeronrYou Reno Discuss 1. Doyou usea computer?What doyou do with it t!;r i, t',xi:'1ili,. getyow work done? 2. Do you think the computerrevolution has a do',t.nsi{r?l.:.r,'_ri:,.. . computers createdproblems or inc:reasedrisks ,fi-'rstir-js.'i-,,, 3. Doyou carrJracellphonewith you?What are thr l*.:::r1,rdisadvantagesof doing so?
T@
i-:
Guess Try to answer the questions.Thenlook for the answersin the reading. 1. What percnntage of U.S. households have computers? Check (/)
one
more than 75o/o about 25o/" more than 50 7o 2. By the year 2010, which will probably be the larger number in the U.S.? -
Check (/) -
one:
the number of computers -
the number of people
Iligh- Tech Cornrnanications Computers As the third millennium approached,people everywhereshiveredwith fear.A few worried that the year 2000would fulfill an ancient prediction and bring the end of the world. Millions more feared a contemporary calamity---{omputer confusion. Would computers think that the year 2000was 1900?As a result, would electricity,heat, water supplies,airplaneservice,banking,and food deliveryall be disrupted?This widespread anxiety even had a name-Y2K (a symbol for the year 2000).Fortunately,the computer programmerswho had predicted this potentii.l problem figured out waysto avoid it. On Ianuary l, 2000,there were amazinglyfervcomputer'Qlitches'--€xcept for one very surprised man who was charged a $400,000late fee on a rented videotape! But Y2K reminded the world just how dependentindustrializedsocieties(and especiallythe U.S.) are on computers. 2 Computers control almost everypart of American life. They are in places most people don't even realize. Computers regulate cars, microwave ovens, telephones, even newer models of refrigeratorsand dishwashers.The growth in computer usage came about only recently.In the 1970s,only large businessesand governmentshad computers. They were extremely expensiveand very large. Shortly after the introduction of the smallel cheaper personal computer, Ken Olson, the president of Digital Equipment Corporation, said, "There is no reason for any individual to have a computer in their home." Today,there are computers in 55 million American homes (more than half of all households),and the number is growing rapidly.About 30%of all computers are in the United States.About 92%of Americansunder age 60 have used a computer.It has been predicted that, by the year 2010,there will be more computers than people in the U.S. What purpose do these computers serve?Among many other tasks, computers send and receivemessages,do research,keep track of finances, make and check on investments, and purchasegoods of all kinds-books, antiques, groceries,cars, homes, airplane tickets, and more computers.Almost anything that can be purchasedat a store or by mail order can now be obtained by computer. 1
CHAPTER l8 . High-Tech Communications
EI
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Businessesof all sizesnow find computersa necessity.Computerskeeptrackof inventory,record financialdata, transmit credit card information,and receiveimmediate approvalon credit card purchases.Productsthat are bought in personare also affected by computers.Most productssold today havea bar-codelabel that containsthe name of the product.the price,and other information.An employeeenterspricesinto a database that also contains product descriptions.A laserdevice readsthe bar code at the checkoutline,and the nameof the productand priceareautomaticallyprintedon a registertape. No matterwhat the iob is, computerliteracyis essentialin todays business world. Computershave revolutionizedmedicine.They have made possiblesuchdevicesas the CT* scannerand the MRlt machine,both of which are used to diagnosemedical conditions.An amazingnewinstrumentis beingdevelopedthat will be ableto diagnose breastcancerlong beforea mammogramcould detect it. Home computers are usefulto people of all ages.Children as young as 3 yearsold practicecomputer skills they will need in their school yearsand careers.Olderchildren play exciting (and sometimes scary) computer games. Educational programs on CD-ROMdisks teach reading,geography,and virtually all other academicsubjects. Teenagerscommunicatewith their friendsby e-mail (electronicmail) and meet people with similar interestsall over the world on the Internet. Many high schooland college teachersgive assignmentsto studentsby e-mail.Studentsresearchassignmentson.the Intemet, use a word-processingprogram to type them up, and send them to their teachers via the lnternet. Some teacherscorrect and grade work and retum it electronically. Aiults with money to invest study public companiesand buy and sell stocksonline. Older people use e-mail to communicatewith their grown children and grandchildren who may live far away.Not onlywritten material, but pictures, too, can be sent by computer anywhere in the world. The computer revolution has had an enorrnous effect upon the economy.The computet and especiallythe Internet,has produceda host of new businesses,suchas companiesthat sell productsexclusivelyon the Intemet and companiesthat manufacture, develop,and improve softwareand hardware.When these companies sell their stock on stock exchanges,many people invest in them. The growth of computer use has also created millions of new iobs, replacing those that were lost as manufacturing industries became more automated and companies built new factories outside the U.S. However,this new high-tech iob market requires specializedskills and training. Computers have even changedwhere workersdo their iobs. Today,more than 20 million people are "telecommuting" (working at home and communicating with their offices by computer), at least part of the week.
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*Computed tomography. iMagnetic resonanceimaging.
UNIT6 r The World of American Business
IE
E| c-ni*ru*
ComprutonslolWhatareftvetasfsthatcomputers cando?
The Telephone and Associated Devices In March of 1876,when AlexanderGraham Bell called to his assistanton the telephone he had iust invented,he could never have predicted what an important instrument he had iust created.U.S.presidentRutnerfordHayessaid, "That'san amazinginvention, but who would everwant to use one of them?" However,he soon changedhis tune. In 1878,he had a telephoneinstalledat the White House.He immediatelyput in a call-to AlexanderGrahamBell. i0 Perhapsno inventionhas affecteddaily life as much as the telephone.In its early years,it enabled peopleto talk to eachother without havingto travellong distancesby foot or horseback.Later it provideda meansof transmitting newsand other important informationall aroundthe world instantly.And today it providesthe meansfor millions of people to communicatewith each other directlyor via the Internet. or cellphonain the U.S.) providepeoWirelessportablephones(usuallycalledcellular 1I ple with peaceof mind becausethey can quicklycontactothers in caseof an emergency even when no wired phone is nearby.Peoplealso use cell phones for less dramatic purposes. Many people chat with friends or check in on their kids as they walk along the street or shop. Ownership of these telephones greatly expanded between 1990 and 2000.ln 1988,therewere about 2 million in use, mostly by businesspeopleand professionals who neededto keep in touch with their offices and clients. Today,more than 80 million cell phones are owned and used by people all over the U.S.Cell phone usage has increased,becausethe cost has decreasedto the point where most people can afford it. When first introduced,cell phones cost more than $1,000,and the per-minute rate made them impractical for most individuals. Today, many companies give the phones away or sell them at very low prices. The cost of air time also has dropped, to about l0 cents a minute. 9
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.I TOLD YOO NEVER TO CALL II1EIIERE.'
18 . High-Tech Communications CHAPTER
Thequalityof cell phoneshasalso significantlyimproved.ln the past,peoplespeaking from wirelesstelephoiieswere often difficult to hear and, frequently,the signal would be lost. Today'sphonesproducesound quality equal to wired telephones,and the connectionsare much more reliable.lt is now even possible,with some new phones,to connectto the Internet. 13 Cell phonescan also be nuisances.Many theatersand librarieshavesignsasking that cell phonesbe turned off.A famous Broadwayactor actuallystoppeda performance when somebody'scell phonerangtPeopleusingcell phoneswhiledrivingcan be dangerous.They are engrossedin conversationinstead of concentratingon their driving. Somestatesare consideringlawsto prohibit talking on the phone while driving. 14 Another popular method of high-techcommunicationis the pager, often referredto as a "beeper."lt is a small deviceusually hooked onto one's belt or carriedin one's purse.A person wishing to contact someone phones that person'spager.When the pagerreceivesthe message,it beepsto let the owner knowthat someoneis trvingto get in touch.A displayon the pagershowsthe caller'stelephonenumber.More sophisticatedpagersdisplaya messagefrom the caller.Pagerswereoriginallyused primarilyby physicianswho neededto be reachedin emergencies.Today,pagersare commonlyused by many businesspeopleto talk with custumers.Parentsalso use them to relay messagesto their childrenand viceversa. l5 TWoother communicationdevicesthat have come into common usageare the answering machine and its cousin, voice mail. The answeringmachine gives callers a recordedmessagetelling them to leave a name and telephone number.At one time, many people consideredthe use of answeringmachinesrude.Today,most peopleconsiderthe lackof an answeringmachineinconsideratesince,without it. the callercannot leave a messagefor a person who is away.Voice mail also provides a messageand a chance to leave a message.lt is more often used by businessesbecause it can also channelcallersthrough a seriesof messagesto the departmentthat will best servethe callers' needs.Voice mail can be very frustrating to people who want to speakto an ac, tual person immediately. 12
Why arecellphones sopopulat?Listfour usesof them. Tlre Intenret 't6
Perhaps the most radical changes in American communications involve the widespread use of the Intemet, a vast network of connected computers. The Intemet was originally createdby the U.S.govemment to enable researchscientists to communicate with one another. The original experiment involved iust four computers. The lntemet began to expand in the 1980swhen the National ScienceFoundation provided funding to involve more computersat more sites. During the 1990s,the Intemet grewto connect computersall over the world. As more computersbecameavailable,the use of the Internet grew at a very rapid rate.In 1994,about 3 million peoplewereusing the Internet. By 1999,that nrimberhad grownto 200million, mostly in the U.S.At the turn of the cen-
UN|I 6 . The World of AmericanEusiness
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tury, it was estimatedthat within 5 years,a billion people would communicatein cyberspace(a namecommonly'usedto meanthe lnternet). To use the Internet,one must subscribeto an Internetserviceprovider (lSP).By far the largestof these is AmericaOnline,which has a membershipof more than 20 milhon. Most people connect to the Internet through their telephone line. A subscriber, usinga computerand modem,dialsa localtelephonenumberand is connectedto the lSP.From there, the user can connectto computersall over the world or communicate by e-mail with other Internet users.Peoplewho need faster lhtemet servicecan subscribeto a DSL{digital subscriberline),which usescopperwiring with specialhardware and is more expensive.High-speedlnternet connectionsare also available through cable from the same companiesthat furnish cable TV service,Even higher speedsare over superfasttelephonelinescalledTl and T3. availableto businesses popular featuresof the lnternetis e-mail.E-mailprovidesa means l8 One of the most To do so, the perwith peopleall overthe worldalmostimmediately. of communicating son sending the messagetypes the recipient'se-mail addressand a messageinto a computerprogramthat looks like a form.The messageis then sent overtelephonelines to the ISP,which transmits it to the recipient,who can log on to his ISPand receivethe message.In addition to text messages,graphics and computer programscan be sent by e-mail. About two-thirds of all e-mail comes from the U.S.It is estimated that the numberof e-mail messagessent from the U-S.exceedsthe number of lettersdelivered by the U.S.Postal Service(often called snailmail).Thanksto e-mail and the World Wide Web,people all over the world can receivenewsfrom anywhereelse without censorship. Govemmentscan no longerhide behind their propaganda.Thetruth is availableto anyone with lntemet access. 19 Another very popular and important feature of the Internet is the World Wide Web (WWW).It can connect a computer anywherein the world with a vast number of other computers that contain a world of information (not all of it accurate,however).You can find the text of all of Shakespeare'splays and read them on your computer screen, downloadthem to your computers hard drive,or print them on your printer. Recently, Britanniu was made available on the Web to anyone with a comthe entire Encycbpedia puter, a modem, and an ISP.Using the Web, one can look into the Library of Congress or find the opinions of the U.S.SupremeCourt.The amount of informationon the Web is enormous and growing daily. It is often refened to as the "lnformation Superhighway." It is estimated that, by the end of the twentieth century,there were more than I billion Web pagesavailable to'Web surfers,"most of them free. To reach a Web site, it is necessaryto know the address. For example, to reach the White House you would enter www.whitehouse.gov.This is pronounced "www dot whitehouse dot gov." Most retail busi21 Probably the fastest-growingpart of the Web is called e-cnmmerce. prospective rcmpanfs merbrowse among the customers where nesseshaveWeb sites 'Io products prices arrailable. order something on of the chandise,finding pictures and the Web, a customer fills in an order form with his name, address,credit card information, and a list of the productsto be purchased.The customer'saccountis charged,and the merchandiseis delivered to his door. Many companieswithout retail stores haveset up shop on the Web, and the number of such companiesis growingrapidly.Thereare 11
CHAPTER 18 . High-Tech Communications
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also companiesthat sell goods by auction (a sale wherepeople offer to buy an item at a certainprice,and the one makingthe highestbid getsto buy the product).some web sitessearchthe Web and find theircustomersthe best pricefor a particularproduct,for example,life insurancepolicies,airplanetickets,and home mortgages. 22 The importanceof the Webto researchcannot be overemphasized. PresidentCljnton proposedthat everyclassroomin Americabe equipped with lnternetaccessand that everyteacherbe instructedin the useof the Internet.Theamount of materialavailable on the Web is much greaterthan any library'sresources.All this information is also availablein many foreign langtiagesfrom sites around the world. 23 While computers have greatlyexpandedcommunications,computer usagehas created a whole new languagethat must be learned.Some call it computerese. Online(being connectedto a network),suf (searchingthrough the World Wide Web),download andupload(receivingand sendingdata from or to another computer),laptop(a portable com, puter), and mouse (a devicefor performingoperationson the computer)are iust a few of the new words (or new meaningsof old words)used in computerland.
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Whatarethreemaioractivities thatcanbedoneon thelnternet?
The Future of Technology 24
i
I i
What new inventionswill technologybring by the year 2010?While it is difficult to predictthe future, it is likelythat computerswill continueto becomesmallel faster.and cheaper.Here are some additional predictions.Smaller and longer,lastingbatteriesand wireless accessto the Internet will enable people to take computers (probably pocketsized)whereverthey go. Cell phoneswill also becomesmallerand more reliableand will be usable anywherein the world. Cell phones will have paging capability,so todays pagerswill becomeobsolete. Fastercomputersand cheaperDSL and cable will eliminate the frustration of waiting fora Web pageto appear.The Intemet will becomean essentialtool for research,shopping,and communication.Finally,worldwideuseof com, municationtools will help peoplearoundthe globe better understandand interactwith each other.
F T.
Arrrn You Reno l. Getting the Message paragraphs A. Reread 2, 3, 6, 8, and2I. Dscusswitha partnerthevariouswaysthat computers are usedin thebusrness world.Ihenlrstthreeusesyou consider very important.
UNIT6 . The World of American Business
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1. 2. 3. B- Rereadparagraphs 5 and 19. Thenlist threewaysin whichcomputers can helpstudents. 1.
2. 3. C. Rereadparagraphs11-14. Thenexplainthedifferencebetweena pageranda cellphone.
ll. BuildingYourVocabulary A. Ihese are the 15 keyvocabulary wordsfor this chapter.Theyare boldfaced in the reading.Pronounce thesewordsafteryour teacheranddiscussthek meanings. auction* calamity connect disk
enable
e-mail* graphic the Internet nuisance obsolete
pa$er portable prediction program* transmit
B. Answeror completeftese questionswith someof the key vocabularywords. 1. What would you use to sendyour friend a letter via the Internet? 2. The word qberspareis another name for what? 3. Where canyou savewhatyou have written on the computer? 4. When you createa picture on your computer,what are you creatingf; 5. What is another word for smd often usedwhen referring to computer messages? 6. A cell phone has no wires, so you can carrJrone around with you. What word describesthat characteristicof cell phones? *Ttrese words can be used as nouns or verbs. (continueil on the nact page)
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18 . High-TechCommunications CHAP.TER
7. If you don't have a cellplone, what else could you carry/ that would allow people to communicate with you anytime, anywhere? 8. People can buy things on the Internetby bidding (offering a certain amount of
'fl
money for an item). What do we call this way of offering merchandise for sale?
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9. What would you call your cell phone if it rings while you're at a concerfl
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10. What do you think computerswill be ableto do 10 yearsfrom now? What is your -
about the future of high-techcommunications?
Itt. SharpeningReadingSkills Making Inferences indicatedin parentheses will not Markeachsfatementtrue(T)or false(fl. Ihe paragraphs you giveyou the answetsdirectly,but canmakeinferences basedupontheircontent.
-
1. The wotdglitchns m€anseverything is working perfecfly. (1) 2. Rnolutionized means"causedmajor changes."(4) 3. C€lI phones are noisy. (13) 4. You can talk to a caller on your pager.(f+)
-
5. Voice mail is more complicatedthan an answering machine. (15)
-
6. Turn of the centurq means"*re end of one century and the beginning of another." (16)
_
7. The U.S. PostalServiceis calledsnail rnailbecauseit's much fasterthan e-mail- (18)
-
8. You need a credit card to make Internet purchases.(21)
lV. Understandingldiomsand Expressions "Computerese" has givenEnglisha lot of newwordsand phrases.Matcheachonein column I withits definitionar descrtptionin column2 by writingthe correct numberson fte lines. give theparagraphsin whichthe wordsor phrasesare used.lf The numbersin parentheses necessary,finda computer{iterateclassroompartnerto helpyou.
UNIT6 . The World of AmericanBusiness
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1. cD-RoM (s)
_a
plastic disk, similar to a compact disk, that can store a great deal of information and loads programs onto the computer's hard drive
2- computerliteracy (3)
-a
device inside the computer for permanently storing! data
(Zt) 3. e-commercn
4. logon (18)
altc rccnrded phone nessages -autom that help callers leave a messagefor the right person or department ability to use a computer
-the
5. hard drive (19)
to type text, such as letters or -used essays,on the computer
6. surf(23)
-connect
.r
/-
F\
/. v o tc e m a l l trSJ
-part
with an ISP
of the Internet, often used for doing research
8. Web site(2O,2t)
not a spider's home-an exact Internet location, for examplq of a particular, business, person, or publication
9. word processing(5)
search the Web to find information
10. World Wide Web (18, 19)
the buying and selling of products and servicesvia the Internet
V. Ilaking Words Apart A. Use thecorrect wordpart listedbelowto makethe oppositeof eachword listedbelow. de-
dis-
down-
un-
Example wired
unwired
Add the Prefixes
Change the Prefixes
1. civilized
3. increase
2. crlnnect
4. upload
B. Discussthedifference between theInternetandanintranet.
'18. High-Tech CHAPTER Communications
L I
i I
Vl. Practicing Sentence Patterns Phrases or clauses '.t'ith it'hrtt f::l'l"ifin A. Time EXpfeSSiOnS With When the sentencf. i.l i-lililii"". ; ' ,' ':; be$ins a sentence. When the time clause from the main idea.
tri i td i j tr :
Examples WhenI got home,Isentan e-mail. I sent an e-mail whenI got home. withtimeclausesthattell whensomethinghappened: Wrrteyourown sentences 1. When 2.
when
'r ir';;'11.1,.i1": In formal writin$, the auti;t:' j:i.ii' irr.lti",',:r11i B. The Pronoun one \ ) reader directly with an informal gou or an imperatir'.,' li-;;;;: ii, , l : l': tO refer tO a nonspeCific perSon (meaning peOple in pii' , '. '; i'.;;irir,liir:r: li'"'L
in para{raphs 1'{, 17, and 19. ChangetheSeSentencesfromsecond pers1ntothird per,sf,";.i,i!.,1i,'''.',- ,-
''
"r'
l
Example You need to be computer literate 1f gou want a gloodjoi: ii', t-li;:'riuited States. i'-'l-.'jr ii:' ,' :l One nzedsto be computer literate if one fue, she) wan*:: .!i*{-!i1 1. If you have acell phone, you can make calls from ,;r'i"'i"';::;i' 2. If youare computer-literatg you'llfind
a job mcr{r t'aiii'i''
Vll. Sharingldeas A. lssues Debatetfrese issues in smatlgroups. Then chooseone afld r-vriie:-'bauflf. !'1.:ri:i: '.it'.'r:lr; 1. Everyone knows how to use a telephone. Some pr:,*plu;:rl-?th:ri {:.Y{11 also know how to use a computer- Do you agree? spei:i*J-i;iii,r.ifi$igiiclil-r::i, 2. The Internet is a'sociable place. It has chat roc-rn::E, auctiotls, and games. Some people become ccllnpltt*r *"dijicLr X-]iey '-. . ,11.i 1 iiii with people from all over the world via the Internet, i:i:i 'jrc-ui;1t-i i1' communicate with family members in their own iivlng r{xini. iLa"r'*'i'-rrtti:rii,,:: encouraged Americans to substitute virhral (an}inc] r"*i*ti*rllh:;:ri i'';i' r.t.:i. personal human relationships? What will be the resuitr; r:L ri:i";?
UNff 6 . The World of American Business
3. When peopleput messa$es on the Internet, do they risk a lossof privacy?Is it risky to sendcredit card information on the Internet? B. On a Personal Note Writeaboutoneof thesetopics. 1. some people imagine a world in which everyone is carrying a cell phone foerhapsworn like a wristwatch) at all times. Do you think that would be a good or a bad development? 2. some peopletreat their computer like a person. They get angry when it doesn't follow orders. They praise it when it producesgood work. How do you feel about the computer you use?Do you like i! hate it, or distrust it? Do you ever talk to your computer? Do you ever hit it or curse it? Write a humorous piece about your relationship with your computer. 3. Where do you think high technologywiil take us in the future? Write your predictions.
18 . High-Tech CH,APTER Communications
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Christopher Columbus: A Controversial Ifero
Cusloms
Christopher Columbus'sfirst landing in the
BeronrYou Reno Discuss 1. Have you heard of Christopher Columbus?Tell what you i
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Guess Thenlookfor the answersin thereading. Tryto answerthe questions. 1. On his first voyage,how many days did it take Columbus to crossthe Atlantic Ocnan?Check (/) one: _18_36-64 2. lnwhat year did Columbusmake his first voyage?Check ({) ong _ 1541_ 1620 7492_
Christopher Colurnbus: A Controversia,llIero His Accomplishmenis, His Holiday in ltalian and Cristdbal in Spanish.Today,AmeriC.ol6n He was called CistnforoCnlombo Worldwide, he's commonly called the discovererof C.olumbus. cans call him Chrishpher America.Some people might wonderwhy.After all, Columbus didn't set out in search of new condnents, and he neverrealizedthat he had found any. Moreover,he wasn'tthe first Europeanto set foot in the WesGm Hemlsphere. Human skeletonswith European characteristics$ones that may be 10,000yearsold-have been found in North Amersailors)probablyreachedthe NewWorldand ica.About e.o. 1000,Vikings(Scandinavian lived for a while on the coast of North America. Historians also believethat, in the fourteenth century. Portugueseand English fishing boats crossed the Atlantic Ocean and landed in Newfoundland and Labrador.But these contacts didn't last long and didn't change anything. Only Columbuss voyages resulted in permanent links between the Eastem and Westem Hemispheresand the widespread colonization of the Americas. Columbus'shistoric landing on an lsland in the Bahamason October 12, 1492,wasa tuming point in world history. 2 In the U.S.A.,this'event is celebrated on Columbus Day,the second Monday in October. The holiday is also celebratedin ltaly and in most Spanish-speakingcountries.In some places, it's catled landing Dagor DixoveryDay.ln many Latin American countries, it is called Dia deIa Rnm(Dagof tfw Race).Columbus Day celebrations often involve parades,patriotic speeches,and dramatizationsof the landing. 3 In 1992,the year of the quincentennial celebration of Columbus's discovery,there were many debates about who should honor Columbus and even whether he should andtheAgeof Dixovery,the author (Zvi Dor-Ner)describessome be honored.ln C.nlumbus of these disputes: -The Spaniardsand the ltalians argued over how to divide the national honor. [Columbuswas bom in Genoa,which is now part of ltaly, but Spanish money paid for his expedidons.lthe Scandinavianscontendedthat if any man should 1
CHAPTER19 o ChristopherColumbus:A ControversialHero
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be honored for discoveringAmerica,it should be Eric the Red.[Ericthe Red,from Norway,exploredCreenlandin the year 985 His son, Leif Ericson,was one of the first explorersto visit mainlandAmerica.]The ThirdWorldcountriesinsistedthat therewasno n the Caribbeanbasin resentedthe need to honor a rank colonialist.And the nations lin he joke has it, they knew wherethey notion that they had been discoveredat all. As the were;it was Columbuswho was lost." a The consequencesof Columbus'svoyageswere most tragic for the nativepeoplesof the Americas.For them, ColumbusDay is not a festiveoccasionbut a day of mourning. As Europeanstook over the New World, Native Americanslost their lives by the millions. Theydied from Europeanillnessesor were killed in battleswith colonists.Those So who survived were forced to live like prisoners in special areas called resewations. genius of Columbus,they also retoday, when Americanshonor the braveryand the memberthe pain that resultedfrom his ventures.(Chapter2l providesmore information about NativeAmericansin the U.S.)
Preparations for a Great Joumey
t.; ''l
YoungColumbuslivedin the perfectplaceat the perfecttime forthe rolehewasdestined to playin history.Hewasbom in 1451in Genoa,a seaportnowpartof ltaly.In the fifteertthcenturymaritimeexploradonwascommon.By 1453,the OttomanT\:rkshad (nowIsconqueredmuchof southeastemEurope,and they controlledConstantinople a majortradecenterbetweenEuropeandAsia.Thismadeit difficultfor tanbul,'Ilrrkey), Europeansto funportthe Asianluxuriestheywanted--suchas gold,iewels,silks,perEuropeans fumes,and spices.A land ioumeywith thesegoodswasriskyandexpensive. with of the Far East-lndia, China, allow trade the countries wanteda safesearouteto Japan,and the Indies.Thatwasan importantgoal in Columbusstime. As a boy,Columbushelpedhis fatherin his wool-weavingbusiness.His fathersoon pushedhim into a businesscareer.At the ageof 14,Christopherbegansailingon tradIn 1476,when he was25 yearsold, he foundout firsting shipsin the Meditenanean. hand how dangerouslife aboardship could be. On his first voyageon the Atlantic Ocean,off the coastof Portugal,his groupof five shipswasattackedby 13Frenchand Portuguesepirate ships.Sevenships went down, and hundredsof men werekilled. Columbus,a sailor on one of the ships that sank,held onto a floatingoar until he reachedthe Portugueseshore. Columbusstayedin Portugalfor about l0 years.He settledin Lisbon,an important maritimepower,and he ioinedhis brother'smapmakingbusiness.He alsoworkedas a woman,and buyingandsellinggoods.He manieda Portuguese seagoingbusinessman, his first son,Diego.wasbom in 1480.Columbusswife died in 1484. weretryingto reachthe FarEastby sailingaroundthe southerntip ThePortuguese of Africa.Columbusthoughthe had a betterroute,and he tried to "sell"his ideato the Columbusclaimedthat a shipcouldreachthe Eastby sailingwest.He kingof Portugal.
was right, but he also madethree important mistakes,First,he underestimatedthe size of the Earth.Second,he thought that a much greaterpercentageof the Earth'ssurface was land than actuallyis-he didn't realizehow largethe oceanswere.Third,of course, he didn't know that the huge continentsof North and South Americalay betweenEurope and Asia. Thesemistakeswere understandable.Columbus was familiar with the writingsand mapsavailableto educatedpeopleof his time. His studiesled him to these geographicalerrors. tn 1485,after the king of Portugalrefuscdto financeColumbus'sexpedition,Columbus and his son traveledto Spain to ask King Ferdinandand Oueen tsabellafor ships and sailors. Columbus promised them wealth and new tenitory. A religious man, Columbusalso promised that his expedition would bring Christianityto new areasof the world.Columbuswasa good salesman.lsabellaand Ferdinandput him on the royal payroll. However,they could not afford to equip him for the voyagewhile the Spanish were fighting the Moors (North African Arabs who had conqueredand ruled much of Spainfor manycenturies).Columbuswaitedabout 7 years. 10 Finally,in 1492,the Spanish conqueredGranada,the last Moorish stronghold.lsabella was then able to give more thought to Columbus'sidea. King Ferdinanddidn't want to spend the money becausethe recentwars had been veryexpensive.Legendsays that lsabella offered to pawn her iewels to finance the trip. But this sacrifice was not necessary.The treasurerof Spain supplied most of the funds from the national treasury and his own savings.Some of Columbus's wealthy supporters also contributed. What would Columbus receivefor undertaking this difficult and dangerousvoyage?His written agreement with the king and queen gave him a good salary,a percentageof the riches his discoveriesbrought to Spain, the right to be govemor of any lands he discovered, and aristocratic titles that he could hand down to his descendants.Columbus askedfor so much that Ferdinandgot angry and almost reiectedthe anangement. But, in the end, they made an agreementthat was very generousto Columbus.
goals? wereColumbus's Four Important Voyages 't1
Most of the information we have about Columbus'svoyagescomes from his ioumals and letters, which were written in Spanish. For his first voyage,Columbus had three ships: the Nifra, the Pinta, and the SantaMan:a.Columbus was the captain of one of the ships, and his two brothers were in charge of the others. The entire crew of all three ships numbered about 90. The ships had good compassesto tell direction but no instruments to measure distance. Fortunately, Columbus was a very skillful sailor and could navigatewell by looking at the stars. He also understood wind pattems and how to use them to his advantage.Although he was wrong about what part of the world he had reached.Columbus's great skill enabled him to find his way backto the same general area on four o
19 e C CHAPTER
Columbus:A ControversialHero
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of landon September9, and the men beganto sigh and cry.Columbuswrotein his journal, "l comfortedthem with greatpromisesof land and riches." Weekswent by, and therewas still no land in sight.The sailorsbecameevenmore i3 frightened.They knew that the world was round, not flat, and they weren'tafraidof fallingoff the edge.But they wereafraidthat they would die at sea.The crewbegged Columbusto turn back;therewereevenwhispersof mutiny.On October10,Columbus and his crewagreedto sail on for 3 moredaysand then turn aroundif no landwasseen. Columbuswas optimistic. Theysaw land birds flying overheadand som.'carvedwood floating on the water.He felt certainthat land must be nearby. 14 ln the middle of the night,iust 36 daysafter leavingthe Canarylslands,the sailors wereoverioyedto seepinpointsof light in the darknessand then white sandshiningin shipswereapproaching an islandin the Bahamas, an island the moonlight.Columbus's Which islandwas it? Historiansdon't allagree,but that ColumbusnamedSanSalvador. most think it was the one oncecalledWallinglslandand then renamedSanSalvador Whendawn came.Columbusand someof his men cameashorein small boats.The 15 landing party found themselvesin a strange,beautiful tropical environment.They placeda Spanishflagand bannerin the groundand declaredthe islanda Spanishpossession.They were greetd by timid but friendly people who wore no clothes.Because Columbusthought he had landedon an island in the Indiesnear fapanor China,he Today,the islands that Columbus exploredare called the called these natives lndians. Wr,tlndie|'. 16 The three ships spent only a few daysat San Salvador-They then sailedon to Cuba and Haiti, where theSantaMan'awas wrecked.On fanuary 16, 1493,the Nifraand Pinta set sail for Spain. They took with them some samples of unusual findings-trinkets, plants, and birds. Tirey also brought back some New World natives. The voyagehome was extremelyrough,and someof the Indiansdied en route. On March 15,Columbus's ships anived safelyin Palos,Spain. After his first voyage,Columbus was very popular and in favor with the king and 1z queen.For his secondexpedition,he was given l7 ships and about 1,500men. Columbus's second expedition sailed through the LesserAntilles and past PuertoRico. He also exploredCuba.On his third voyage,he landed on Venezuela,finally reachingthe mainlandof South America. 18 His later explorationsdidn't live up to expectations.Therewas less gold and mcre trouble. Some Spanishsettlersremainedin the new land to form a colony called Hispaniola(where Haiti and the DominicanRepublicare now located).Thesesettlershad expectedto find huge supplies of gold and other riches. Instead,they found difficult living conditions, strangefoods, hard work, and constant danger.They blamed Columbu-. for their disappointment.Manywent backto Spain and complainedabout him. Other:, stayed and rebelled against his leadership. The king's representativecame from Sp.tin to settle the trouble in Hispaniola-He put Columbus and his brothersin chains an,,l sent them backto Spain for trial. On board ship, the captain offeredto releaseColiirribus from his chains,but Columbusrefusedthis offer.When he anived in Spain,the kiirg and queen freed him, but they replacedhim as govemor of Hispaniola. ln an attempt to regainhis good name,Columbus began his fourth and lastvcl,ag.:. 19 With four ship's,he left Spain in 1502.On this voyage,his ships sailed along the east coast of Central America-past the present-daycountries of Honduras, Nicaragua,
UNIT7 . AmericanHolidays:Historyand Customs
CostaRica,and Panama.Duringthe journey,his shipswerebadlydamaged.As a result. he and his crewwere strandedon lamaicafor a year beforebeing rescuedand returned to Spainin 1504.Columbuswas,at that point,consideredan unsuccessful explorer.He had not brought back richesfrom the Far East. (Later,in the sixteenthcentury,Spain took huge profits from the Americas,but that was after Columbus'sdeath.)To make mattersworsefor him, Oueenlsabella,his greatsupporter,died.
._
Firsl Voyage 1492-1493
- -
Ssond Voyage 1493-1496
.. .. Third Voyage1498-1500 - - - Fourth Voyage 1502-1504 S&s |-__---..-.a4 56Xiffi4
Routesof Columbus's four voyages Duringhis last years,Columbushad a comfortableincomefrom his shareof the gold that was found in Hispaniola.However,he was unhappybecauseKing Ferdinanddenied him some of the other rewardshe had been promised. Moreover,he was sick and in great pain from arthritis. He died in 1506at the age of 54 and was buried in Spain.In I542, his body was moved to the Dominican Republic,once part of "his" colony,Hispaniola. He may still be buried there. Was this controversialman a hero or a villain? Probablyboth. He was certainlyam2'l bitious.That trait motivatedhim to work hard,take risks,and accomplishsomethingof significance.However,many would say he was also greedy,wanting too much in return for his efforts. His persistence was a virtue. But he was so persistent that he was often stubbom. Despite evidence to the contrary he never faced the fact that he had not reachedthe FarEast.Admitting that would havemeant his expeditionsfailed.Most disturbing, however,is the evidencethat Columbus was harsh, even cruel, in dealing with his crew, the colonists in Hispaniola, and the Native Americans.He had an autocratic manner with his crew.TYyingto make his colony more profitable, he sometimes ordered the killing of Spanishcolonistswho weretroublemakersin Hispaniola.He sent some Indians to Spain to be sold into slaveryand forced others to find a certain quantity of gold per day or face death. ability,and, Still, Columbuscontinuesto be admired for his courage,self-confidence, perhaps most of all, his persistence.ln school, children read foaquin Millers famous poem about Columbus.The closing lines say,"He gained a world; he gavethat world / Its grandestlesson,'On! Sail on!"' 20
Columbus:A ControversialHero
*** What wereColumbus'scharaclerstrengths?What werehis El Conpnafienslon
flaws?
Why'America"? lf Columbusis consideredthe most important Europeanexplorerof the Western Hemisohere,then why are citizensof the U.S.calledAmericans, not Columbians? And who werethe continentsof North and South Americanamedafter?Theseare ouestionsthat some newcomersto the U.S.ask. 24 Columbus'snameappearsmanytimeson a map of the WesternHemisphere. Several citiesin the U.S.are namedafter him, as is the ColumbiaRiver,one of the chiefrivers in the U.S.A.and Canada.The nation'scapitalcity is calledWashington,D C with the initials standing for Districtof ColumbiaHowever,the two continents of the Western Hemisphereare named after AmerigoVespucci,another ltalian explorer.He made at least two (and possibly four) voyagesto the Americas,the first only a few yearsafter Columbus'sfirst voyage.Vespucci's1499voyagewas undertakenfor Spainand led by a Spanish explo,er.lt hrought Vespuccito Brazil,Venezuela,and Hispaniola.Then, in l50l , he sailedto Brazilagain,this time with the shipsof a Portuguese captain.The I 501 voyageconvinced Vespuccithat he had reacheda new continent. He was the first person to claim this. About 1503,Vespucci'saccountof his discoveryof a new continentwas publishedin 25 Englishunder the title NewWorld.lt was also translatedinto many other languagesand publishedin many Europeancountries.lts fame establishedVespuccias the discoverer of the New World. Columbusneverdisputed this claim. In 1507,a Germanmapmakerwho read Vespucci'swritings becamethe first person 26 to use the nameAmenuto describethe areathat Columbusand Vespuccihad explored. Vespucc!receivedmany honors and important iobs. After his death, it was discovered that this so-called great explorer was not really so great- After all, Columbus had reachedthe Westem HemispherebeforeVespuccidid. In addition, despite his claims, Vespucciwas probably not the leader of the expeditions he was on. Therefore,it is appropriate that Amerigo Vespucciis the forgotten exploret while Columbus is honored annuallyin many countries. 23
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ArrenYou Reno l. Getting the Message On eachblankline,write the letterof the correctwordor phraseto completethe sentence. give the paragraphsyou can rereadif you needhelp. The numbersin parentheses 1. Columbuswas born in 1451,in the middle of the a. fourteenth b. fi-fteenth
t I I I
century. (5)
1-
UNff 7 . AmericanHolidays:Historyand Customs
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(9) a. the Portuguese king wanted to finance his voyage b. he hoped that the Spanish government vvould pay for the ships and crew he needed
2. Columbus left Portugal and went to Spain because -.
3. From 1485 to \492, Columbus was tryingito get ships for an expedition so he (8) could -. new continents a. find b. reach the East by sailing west (iO) a. heh his native country get colonies in the Far East b. become rich and famous
4. Columbus's goal was to -.
5. Columbus made this mistake: -.
(S)
a. He thought the world u'as round b. To the west, he thought that there was onll,water, not land, between Europe and Asia (1) a. he was the first European to land in the Western Hemisphere b. his landing led to European development of the Americas
6. C,olumbus'sfirst voyage was i-nportentbecause -.
tg
7. C.olumbus's life was similar to Vespucci's in this way: Bottr men -.
(10, 18,
79,24) a. crossed the Atlantic Ocean b. led voyages for Portugal
ll. BuildingYour Vocabulary A. Ihese are the 15 keyvocabulatywordsfor this chapter.Theyare boldfacedin the thesewordsafteryour teacher,anddiscussthek meanings. reading.Pronounce autocratic colony continent convince crew
expedition exploration hemisphere import* island
luxury mutiny* persistence sacrifice* voyage"
B. Dscussthe answersto the followingquestionswitha classmate.Thenchoosetour of the guestionsto answeron a separatepieceof paper.Usea dictionaryfor helpif necessary. 1. Whatbehavior shows that Coluribus rv€rspersistent? 2. Whatkinds of sacrificesdo parents often make for their children? *These words can be used as nouns or verbs. (continucd on the next page)
A Controversial Hero 19 . Christopher Columbus: CHAPTER
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3. In what way is a mutiny.similar to a revolution? 4. Have you ever taken avoyage (a long boat trip)? \Vhere ,1i{,,',:,i,,',."' 5. Wiich continent is Central America a part of-North America?
Aili,.i i,r',:'.,i l;:,rq11y1
6. What is an island surrounded by? 7 - What are some countries in the Far East? 8. What countr5r did the colony of Hispaniola belong to? 9. What's the difference betv.-eenimporting and exporting merchandise? C. Arrangethese wordsin order of the size of the place, startingr,,ril,li;* :,ir:,j;,::, cify
continent
1.
3.
2.
4.
country
he:;' i:.1,i,,. ':
5.
lll. SharpeningReadingSkills A. Punctuation Tips paragraph3. Noticethatit containsa quotation l. Reread of severais*i;icit;e;,.i';i;iriiili;e quotation,thereare two pairsof brackets,whichlook like this:I t. Thebracketscontain informafion that the authorshaveaddedto exolainsomething in ffi* ili:r.:i,:;r,q,;1, ili.,1';;1.,,.;. bracketsto parentheses, arsousedin thisparagraph.Parentheset irlri' iit.. il:|,:.,.i Discusssorneusesofparentheses.
2 . Rereadparagraph20. Whyis the word hisin quotationmarks?Drscl,,s-'. 3 . ln the last sentenceof paragraph22, notethe useof singlequoteswithindoublt;,,,r:; Thesingleguotesreferto Columbus's words,whichare quotedrn fhepncri:.ir';'rl,,::u writinga sentencethat hasa quotattonwithina quotation. B. Map-Reading Practice Findthe tollowingon a mapof theworld: 1. the sevencontinents 2. dlthe countriesmentionedin the readrng(Scanthe readingf*r tir.. r:r:rirtii:.-,,; i 3. Columbus'sgeneral route on his first and fourth voyages
lV. Understandingldiomsand Expressions A. Oneachblankline,wrttethe letterof the correctwordor phrascfr:rcrrui;ie1rlirrr give theparagraphsin wflichthe expressi{ilrs sentence.Thenumbersin parentheses dir-l used. UNIT7 . AmericanHolidays:Historyand Customs
1. After all (1) means a. after many events b. considering these facts c. a surprising! outcome 2. The a. b. c. The a. b. c.
New World (1) means North America the Western Hemisphere the Eastern Hemisphere Third World (3) means Europe and Asia the Far East developing, less industrialized countries
4. Lost their lives (4) means a. died b. got lost c" lost their freedom
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5. Findout(6)means a. find
b. get information about c" goout
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6. Lostsight of lnnd (t2) means a. lost their way b. couldn't seeland anJmlore c^ lost their eyesig;ht 7. This so-call.edgreatexplorer (26) implies that Vespucci a. deservedto be calledgreat b. calleclhimself great c. uzasn'treallv so grcat
givethe B. Discussthemeanings of thefollowing expressions. Thenumbers in parentheses paragraphs in whichtheexpressrbns areused. turning point (1)
live up to expectations(tS)
tace the fact that (27)
CHAPTER'19. ChristopherColumbus:A ControversialHero
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V. TakingWords Apart A. Adiective Hunt In smallgroups,makelistsof adjectives that describeColumbus. Scantfrereadingfor adiectivesusedthereor for nounsthatyou can makeinto adjectives (forexample,skillinto skillful).Putthe lrbfson theboard.Seewhrchgroup hasthe longestlistof appropriate words. Writea G afterthewordsthatdescribegood traits anda B afterthe onesthatare bad. Finally,tell whyeachadjectivefits Columbus. B. Names of Places and Groups of People Fillin themissrngwords. Examples Europe
Euro?ean
China
Chinese
1. Italy
4. France
2. Asia
5.
3.
Spanish
Porfuguese
6. U.S.
C. Prefixes A quincentennial is a 500thanniversary. Fillin the correctprefix,whereneeded,for eachof thefollowingexpressions. Usebi-,trr, andsesqui-. 1. 100 5l€drs: 2. 150 years :
@ntennial
3. 200 years
centennial
&ntennial
4. 300 years
centennial
D, Compound Words Findthesecompoundwordsin the paragraphs (8) andoverjoyed indicated: underestimated (14). Fromthe context,guess their meanings.Thencheckthedictionarydefinitionto seehow closeyou were. 1. What doesund.ermean inunfurestimate? 2. Wbatdoes overmeanrnwerjoged?
Vl. PracticingSentencePatterns gt . . .l and Reread thefirstsenfence in paragraph 23. Notethatit beginswitha condition queslion. thenasksa Hereis anotherexample of a sentence thatbeginswrtha condifron: If you havevery little money,then why did you buy a new car?
UNIT7 . AmericanHolidays: HistoryandCustoms
Nowwriteyour ownsentencesusrngthfs pattern. 1. If you're tired, then why
2. tf
then why
Vll. Sharing ldeas A. lssues Debatetheseissuesin smallgroups.Thenchooseoneand wr'tteaboutit. 1. Should there be a holiday to honor Columbus? 2. Is it fair to blame Columbus for what happenedto Native Americans after his death? 3. Peopleseemto need two opposingelementsin their lives: adventure and security. Columbus seemedto prefer adventure.Which is more important to you? B. On a Personal Note Writeaboutone of thesetoprbs. t. It is ironic (the opposite of what is expected)that Columbusbecamefamous for something he never knew he did. Iook up the word irong rn the dictionary. Then wdte about something ironic that occured in your life. 2. Searchthe Internet for more information about C,olu:rbus.Summarizesomeof the new information you discovered3. Tell about a time when you vrereblaned for something that wasn't your fault.
Halloween: A Time
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Childrenin costumetrick-or-treatingon Halloween
BrroneYou Rsno Discuss r. why are the children in the picture dressedin costume?can you find the witch, the piratg and the monster? 2. Are someholidays more important to children and others more important to adults? Bxplain. 3. what other holidays do you know of on which people wear specialclothingf;
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Guess Ihen lookfor the answersin thereading. Tryto answerthe questions. 1. Europeanimmigrants from what counfii brought Halloweento the U.S.?Check (/) one: Ireland Spain -Italy 2. A jack-o'-lantern is made from what vegetable? 3. How much have the heaviest pumpkins ever grown weighed? Check (r/) one: 150 pounds -about -about more than 1,000 pounds -
500 pounds
(Norr: 2.2 pounds : 1 kilogram)
Halloween: A Tirne for Scarg Fun A finpical Halloween Scene 1
2
3 a s o 7 8
lt was a cool autumn evening.Mrs. Brown was sitting in her living room, reading. Suddenly, there was a loud knock on her dool then two or three more knock. Mrs. Brown put the safety chain on her door. Then she opened the door a little and looked out. There stood three children wearing masksand costumes. When they saw her,they all shouted, "Tfickor treat! Money or eats!" Mrs. Brown dropped a candybar into each child's bag. One boywas wearinga big hat, a plaid shirt, blue ieans,and high boots. The holsteron his belt had a toy gun in it. Mrs. Brownaskedhim, "Who are you?" "l'm a cowboy,"he answered. 'And I'm a ghost," shoutedthe child next to him, hidden under a white sheet. "And I'm a skeleton," said the third child. The "skeleton"was wearing a black shirt and black pants with strips of white tape on them. 'Thanks for the candy,"shouted the children as they ran off to ring another doorbell. 'You're welcome," said Mrs. Brown. "Have fun, and don't play any pranks." Everyyear on October 31, Halloweensceneslike this occur throughout the U.S.A. American children love to dress up in costumes and go trick-or-treating.If an adult re' fuses to supply a treat--
Z *.* roun
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Gompnotrsnslon Why doesMrs Browngivethe childrencandy? The Origins of Halloween Customs g
The name Halloween is a short way of saying AIIHallows' Eye,which means "the night beforethe RomanCatholicholidayof Al/ Saints'Day."Although Halloweengot its name from a Christianfestival,its customsare of paganorigin. Theycome from two different sourc€s:an ancientCelticfestivalin honor of Samhain,lord of death,and a Romanfestival in honor of Pomona,goddessof gardensand orchards.The Halloweencolors,black and orange,suggestboth ideas:death and harvest. 10 Masquerading, begging,and other Halloweencustomsare now mainly enjoyedby children. But many hundredsof yearsago, these customs were performedquite seriously by adults as part of their religion.The scarypaft of Halloweencomesfrom the Celts,who lived in the Britishlslesand nofthernFranceduring ancientand medieval times. The Celtsworshipedgods of nature.They fearedthe coming of winter,associating it with death and evil spirits. Everyyear on October 31, the last day of the yearon the old pagan calendar,the Druios (Celticpriests and teachers)built huge bonfiresto scareawaythe bad spirits of evil and death.Theythrew animals and crops into the fire as gifts for the evil spirits. The Celtic people also dressed in ugly, scarycostumes.They believed that, if they disguised themselves,the spirits wouldn't harm them. According to traditional beliefs, ghosts rose from their graveson this evening, and witches flew through the air on broomsticks or black cats. Also, the spirits of dead relatives and friends were expectedto retum to Earth for a visit. The Druids built bonfires on hilltops to guide these spirits back home. 11 From the Druid religion come the custom of masqueradingand the symbolsof Halloween: ghosts, skeletons, devils, witches, black cats, and owls. The iack-o'-lantern is also of Celtic origin. It was an lrish custom to hollow out turnips and place lighted candles inside-themto scareevil spirits awayfrom the house.In the U.S.,people now use the native pumpkin. Pumpkinsgrow in a great variety of sizes-up to 1,092pounds! To make a pumpkin into a iacko -lantern, remove the pulp and seeds-Then, cut holes in the hollow pumpkin to makethe eyes,nose,and mouth. Put a candleinside it, light the candle, and put the iack-o'-lantern by the window. Why is this light called a jack-o'lantcrn?An lrish story tells about an unhappy man named fack He wasn't welcome in heavenbecausehe was stingy, and he couldn't go to hell becausehe had played iokes on the devil. So he had to walk the Earth forevel canying a lantem. 12 The lrish atso introduced the trick-or-treat custom hundreds of yearsago. Groups of farmers would travel from house to house asking for food for the village Halloween pafi. They would promise good luck to generous contributors and threaten those who were stingy. 13 The Druid holiday of Samhain also celebrated the harvest.This part of the celebration becameevenmore significantafter 55 e.c.,when the Romansinvaded.England and brought with them their harvest festival of Pomona. After that, nuts and fruit
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Americanshonor the harvestby displayingcornstalksand pumpkins;eating nuts,autumn fruits,and pumpkinpies;and playinggameswith apples.One of the most popular Halloweengamesis bobbingfor apples.In this game,applesfloat in a largetub of water.One at a time, childrenbend over the tub and try to catch an apple in their mouthswithout usingtheir hands. 14 The Druid religionlastedlongestin lrelandand Scotland,and Halloweenwas most important in these two countries.In the 1840s,Irish immigrantsbrought their Halloweencustomswith them when they came to the U.S.A.
E| ,nru*'t*nToday'sHalloweencustlmsclme frornwhat twoancientholidays? ,Gonpnohenslon What are the twomain themesand colorsof Halloween?
Halloween Celebrations Today Halloweenis celebratedby nearlyall Americanchildren,and over 70"/"of adultsalso participatein some Halloweenactivity.Collegestudentsand other youngadults mayattend masquerade parties or Halloweenparades.Many families carvepumpkins and decoratethe outsideof their homeswith the traditional tlalloweensymbols.Businesses get into the act, too. Store windows display iack-o'-lanterns,scarecrows, and witches. Serversin restaurantsand salespeoplein supermarketsand bookstoresare often in costume. Many nightclubsand barsencouragecustomersto come in costume by offering prizes for the best disguises. j6 Partof the fun of Halloweenis to get scaredout of your wits. This can easilybe done by visiting a haunted house.Supposedly,the spirits of dead people "live" in haunted houses.Thesespirits try to scareaway living residents or visitors so that the spirits can enioy their afterlife(which reallymeansa life after death) in peace.Why do spirits hate the living?The living alwayswant to clean up and brighten their surroundings,while ghosts and skeletons prefer dust, spiders,cobwebs,and darkness.Thesedays, it's hard to find a real haunted house. But every year shortly before Halloween, many charities and communities createfake haunted houses.They hire actors to dress up in scarycostumes and hide inside. Customerspay a few dollars each to walk through these places and have'ghosts"surprisethem with a loud 'Boo!" and "skeletons"clangchainsin their ears. Children usually love these haunted houses, but sometimes their parents are scaredto death! For those who have no haunted house nearby,another way to share a good scareis to go with friends to see a horor movie in a theater or rent one and watch it together on Halloween night {in a dark room, of course). Most American children have a wonderful, exciting day on Halloween. If Halloween 17 falls on a schoolday,they sometimes bring their costumes to school and spend the last few hours of the schooldaywith spooks instead of with books.After school and perhaps on into the evening,they go trick-or-treating.Often, there s a pafi at a friend s home or at the local community center.At most Halloween parties, prizes are given for the best costumes. Bobbing for apples, telling fortunes {predicting the future), playing scary apples,candy,apple cider,and pumpkin pie games,and snackingon caramel-covered areall part of the fun. Somecommunitiesbuild a bonfire,iust as the Celtsdid. Children 15
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20 . Halloween:A Time for ScarvFun CHAPTER
may sit around the bonfiretelling scarystories while roastinghot dogs or toasting marshmallows, Halloween,which beganhundredsof yearsago as an eveningof terror, is now an occasionof greatfun. 1B However, somewordsof warningare needed.Halloweenis a time whenchildrencan becomeoverexcited and careless, and it is a time when careis especiallyneeded.To be surethat carswill see childrenafter dark,parentsshould dressthem in light-colored costumesor put reflectingtape on their clothing.To be surethat ihe kidsseethe cars, parent>should enlargethe eye-holesin masksby cutting them with scissors. When trick-or-treating, childrenshould go in groups.Youngerchildrenshould go with older childrenor an adult. Kids should be told neverto go insidethe houseor apartmentof a strangerbut to wait outsidefor their treats.Evenif no treat is given,childrenshould be told not to damageproperry.Kids should stop trick-or-treatingby g:00nn. Whenthey get home with their candy,parents should inspect it and throw out anything not wrappedand sealed.(Therehavebeen rare incidentsof harmfulingredientsfound in Halloweentreats.) 19 on Halloweennight,adultsshould be careful,too. Robberscouldtakeadvantageof the casual,open-door Halloweenspirit to gain accessto strangers'homes. Note that Mrs. Brown(the womanat the beginningof this reading)did not completelyopen her door until shewas surethat her uninvitedvisitorswerechildren.
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ArrenYou Rrao l. Gettingthe Message A. Markeach statementtrue (T)or false(F).
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1. In tle u-S- today,Halloween is an important religious holiday. 2. Paganreligions had many gods. 3. Halloween is celebratedby nearly all American children, no matter what their reli$on.
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4. Somecostumesare disguises,but others are not.
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5. A scarecrowis putin a field to scareaway people.
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6. Skeletonsand ghostsare symbols of a good harvest.
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7. The Irish madejack-o'-[anterns from pumpkins.
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8. When children gfotrick-or-treating, they usually collect a lot of apples.
B. Namefour thingsAmericanchildrenusuawdo to cerebrateHalloween. l.
2. 3. 4. UNIT7 . AmericanHolidays:Historyand Customs
and andcontraststwo holidays,the ancientholidayof Samhain Thereadingcompares Workingin smallgroups,makea list of all thecustomssharedby modern4ayHalloween. betweentheseholidays. thesetwo holidays.Thenmakea secondlistof differences group and hasthelongestlistof correctcomparisons Comparelrstsandsee which contrasts.
ll. Building Yortr Vocabulary wordsfor thischapter.Theyare boldfacedin the A. Iheseare the 15 keyvocabulary reading.Pronouncethesewordsafteryour teacher,anddrscusstheirmeanings. costume disguise* evil generous ghost
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scarecrow skeleton spirit stingy witch
harvest* haunt hollowt masquerade* pumpkin
words.Makethe nouns thesesentencesusrngsomeof thekey vocabulary B. Complete pluralwherenecessary. 1. If you give a trick-or-treater a penny, you are
If you give the
child 50 c€nts, you are some people don't recnSnizn,their
2. At Halloween parties or
friends when they are wearing masksover their faces. 3. On Halloween, it is an American custom for children to dressup in
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4. The Halloween colors, orangeand black, relateto the holiday's two major
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themes. which are
protects a farmer's harvest becauseit standsin the fields
and scaresawaybirds and animals that might otherwise eat seedsor clops. 6. To make a jack-o'-1antern,take the insides (the pulp and seeds)out of a and then antafaen into the orangeshell. 7. A gfhostis the invisible
ofa deadperson.
*These words can be nouns or verbs. tHollow can be an adjective or a verb.
20 . Halloween:A Time for CHAPTER
C. Underline thecorrectwordto completeeachsentence. 1- (Whi"ch/ Witch) one of you wants to wear this scarycostume? 2. I don't like that bright-red devtJ(costume/ custorn). 3. on Halloween,I wear makeupor a (masle/ m"asquzrad)to disguiscn,r.,s*lf. 4. After I take the insidesout of this pumpkin, it will be (haltow/hottawi. 5. Peoplesay a gihostlives in that house They say it's (haunted.,/'!:t:t:it:ij,,. D. Labeleachitemlrstedto tell whichHalloween themeit symbotizes. Write!J for darkness anddeathandH for harvest.lf a word relatesto boththemes,writeb*ii;1,:;*d F{. Example witch
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A. Inferences and lmplications Sometimesan author does::ct i-rll :.1r,.:!1,.,: somethingdirectlybut just implies (hints at or sugfgfests) an id*a. il,;'hr,:,:..ri:iir1i,rr i,. out what a writer is sayingindirectly, they infer or mnkeinferertr' ",lt..,, . ,. meaning.
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Try makingsomeinferencesaboutthisreading.Discussyour ideasin smailgroups. 1. In paragraph 1, what doesthe text imply when it says,,.Mrs. Br.*,.ln put fhe safety chain on her door'?
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2. Make inferences aboutwhy someadults don'tlike Hallowee:.'". 3. If you live in the U.S.,what doesthe text imply that you bi:y hi:i,;ri. ,irirrii,r.,r ,:,i. 4. In paxagraph16, what is implied by the senten@"These days,it'r Ii;i,ij ir i,ri, real haunted house'?
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B. Quotation Marks Quotation marks havetwo main uses:q1.)tq:rh*r,.,l-jrsir,r writer is repeating the exactwords qroken or writtenby so.rni-n{j,n* elsE c.lri*} r.r:r indicatethat a word or phraseis being usedin a specialway',i::slf;rqlri| ir.r,, ,i:;r;,:i meaningi.
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UNIT7 r AmericanHolidays:Historyand Customs
Answerthetollowingquestionsaboutquotationmarks. 1. In the first sentencein paragraph5, why are there quotation marks? 2. ln the second sentence in paragraph 5, why are there quotation marks around skeleton?
3. In the third sentence in paragraph 16, why are there quotation marks around live?
€. Map-Reading Practice Findthe followingon a map of the world. 1. GreatBritain (which includesEngland,Scotland,and Wales) 2. tJleBritish Isles (which include Great Britain, Ireland, the Isle of Man, and adjacent small islands) 3. the United Kingdom (which includes Great Britain and Northern Ireland) D. Dictionary Skills symbolsto find the answersto the followingquestrbns. Lookat thedictionarypronunciation (Checkin two 1. In Celti.c,is the first 6 pronoun@d like a k or ans? dictionaries. Do they agree?Is there more than one correct pronunciation?) 2. What letters are silent rnguidi and disgwise?
lV. Understandingldiomsand Expressions ill
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A. Oneach blank!ine,write the letterof the correctwordor phraseto completethe give theparagraphsin whichthe expressrbns sentence.The numbersin parentheses are used. l. "Tri.ckor treat;morry or eats!"{1) means a. "f'd Hke either a trick or a treaf' b. "if you give me a treat, I'll play a trick on you" c "give me a treaq or I'll play a trick on you" 2. ToplaUaprank {7) meansto a. play aqame b: trick someone c. begfor candy (continucd on thc tuxt pagc)
CHAPTER20 r Halloween:A Time for ScaryFun
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3. A jack-o'-ktntern (11) a. haunts houses b. is carried around on Hallor.veen night c. has a light in it 4. When you are bobbinEV for apples (13), you can get a. wet lo. getscared c. carve a pumpl:in
5. Scaredout of your wits (tG) means a. too scared to think clearly b. scared of being witty c. too scared to talk 6. Scarcdto death (16) means that someone a. died of fear b. was very frightened c. was afraid of dying
7. Telling fortunes (tZ) means a. predicting what will happen in the future b. telling scaqrstories c. telling people how to Setich 8. Gain atcessto (tS) means a. rob b. get into c. unlock B. Discussthe meanings of the phrasalverbs dressup and makeup.Alsodiscussthe meaning makeup of as a noun.
V. llaking Words Apart Sometimespresent participles and past participles are used as adjectives.Present participles-such as acciting-describe the quality or a characteristicof something. Pastparticiples-such as exciud-are often used to describethe feelingsor responses of a person or animal. Underlinethecorrect adjectiveto completethefollowingsentences. Example The Halloween pafi will be fun. I'm very keetted / exciting) about going. 1. Winning the pnze at the costumeparty was very (acited / €xtitiq) . 2. Readingabout Halloween is (internted/ interesting).
UNIT7 . AmericanHolidays: Historyand Customs
3. l'm (intercsted/ interesting).inlearning about American holidays. 4. I thought the fortune-telling game was (boredi boring). 5. Were you (bored/ boriW) by that game, too?
Vl. PracticingSentencePatterns A. Direct and Indirect Speech In paragiraphs1-7, the conversationbetween Mrs. Brown and the children is dialogug or direct speech.The speakers'exactwords are in quotation marks. Here arepairs of sentencesexpressingthe sameidea in direct and then indirect speech: Direct Speech
Indirect Speech
He said to MarS', "Ilike your costume." He asked, "Are you a witch?" He said, "Don't fly away."
He told Mary that he iiked her costume. He asked if she was a witch. He told her not to flv awav.
of thereadingfromdirectto indirect at the beginning Nvwchangesomeof the statements paragraphs following statements. Then complete the 1-7. speech.Reread Erample The children askedMrs. Brown to :SF
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aivethem a treat
1 . Mrs. Brown askedone boy 2. The boy wearing the big hat told Mrs. Brorm and not
3 . Mrs. Brown told the children to
B. Would for Repeated Past Actions ln paragraph72, sentences2 and 3, would plusan infinitiveverb form is usedto describe you did often pastactions.Wrttea senfenceusrngwouldto tellaboutsomething repeated whenyou werea child. Whenlwasachild,
Vll. Sharingldeas A. lssues Debatetheseissuesin smallgroups.Thenchooseoneand write aboutit. 1. Is Halloween good or bad for children? What kinds of behavior doesit encnura$e? 2. Should Ameriean Halloween customsbe changedto make the holiday safer and lessdestructive?If so, what changesshould be made? 2O . Halloween:A Timefor ScarvFun CHAPTER
E
B. On a Personal Note
- . Writeabout one of these topr'cs. 1. Besides Halloween, do you knorv of any other holidays on which people wear masks and / or costumes?Describe the holiday and its customs. 2- Have you ever dressed up in costume?'write a paraEfraphtelling why, and describe what you wore. Did you wear makeup or a mask? could your friends rccognizn you, or wcre you disguised? 'Write 3. a short dialogue that repeats a funny or unusual conversation you had with another person. Use quotation marks around the spoken words. Indent (begin a new paragraph) rvhenever there is a change in u,ho is speaking. Use the dialogue at the be$inning of the reading as a model for correct indentinE and punctuating.
UNff7 . AmericanHolidays: Historyand Customs
Thanksgiving and Native Arnet'tcans
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"Colonists" at Plimouth Plantation, recreating the 1627 village of Plymouth, Massachusetts
BrronrYouRrno Discuss 1. Were the Native Americans and the European colonists friends or enemies? 2. What do you know about Native Americans from movies?How accuratelydo thesefilms porhay contemporary Native Americans? 3. What foods are servedat a trafitional American Thanksgiving feast?Have you ever eatenany of thesefoods?Do you like them?
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1. when did the Pilgrims cometo America to establisha colony?check (/) one: 1685 _1725 _1620 _ 2. The Pilgrims did not have this pieceof silverware:Check() one: -
knife
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spoon
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Thanksgiving: Origin and Customs
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ThanksgivingDay is on the fourth Thursdayin November.lt is a time for big family reunions and big dinners, a time to eat turkey,stuffing, corn, cranberry:auce, and pumpkin pie. But betweenendlessbites of food,Americansalso taketime to feelgrateful for whateveris good in their lives.Somepeoplethank God; othersthank fateor their loved ones.And most people rememberthe small group of English colonists who gave Americansthis delicious and meaningful holiday. z Today'sThanksgivingholiday was inspired by a harvest festival in plymouth, Massachusetts, almost 400 years ago. The small group of colonists, residents of the second .permanent English settlement in the New World, had very little by todays standards, but they were thanKul for receiving what they valued most-a good harvest and the freedom to live and worship as they pleased. 3 The Plymouth colonists began their joumey to America in September of 1620on a ship called the Mayflower. Some of the passengerswere members of a persecuted religious sect. They were called Separatists becausethey had separatedfrom the Church of Englandin orderto practicetheir religionin waysthey consideredcloserto the message of the Bible. In search of greater religious freedom, some members of this group went to live in Holland for several years, but they were unhappy there, too. So they made plans to come to America, where they would be free to live as they chose.Theyretumed to England to prepare for the ioumey. Many years later, the Separatists came to be called Pilgrimsbecauseof their travels in searchof religious freedom. Today,Americans commonly refer to all of the Plymouth residents as Pilgrims,but only about half of the colonists were Separatists.The others came to America, not for religious reasons,but for adventureor new opportunity. 4 The ioumey to the New World was paid for by English businessmenin retum forfurs and other goods to be sent back to Englandfrom the new colony- TheMayflower wasvery crowdedwith 102passengers(men, women,and children),about 25 sailors,two dogs, and probablysome chickens,cats,and pigs.At times, the trip was very rough.yet, during the voyage,the travelers suffered only one death. Since there was also one birth aboard ship, the Mayflower was still cinyrng 102passengerswhen, after 65 daysat sea, it landed in ProvincetownHarbor,on the tip of Cape Cod, Massachusetts.The Mayflower
UNIT7 . AmericanHolidays:Historyand Customs
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passengershad planned to settle near famestown,Virginia,where the first permanent Englishcolony in America'hadbeenestablishedin 1607.Howevetwinds pushedthe Mayflower farthernorth, wherethe crimatewas much corder. s The Pilgrim leaders knew that, in order to survive, every society neededrules for proper behavior.So 4 | men aboard the Mayflower held a meeting.Theychosetheir first governorand signed the Maqflower Compact, an agreementto make laws for their colony and to obey them- It was the first formal agreementfor self-govemmentin America. 6 Forabout a month, tl,e Pilgrimslived aboardship and sent out a few men to explore the coastline-At Plymouth,the men found a harbor with some clearedland and fresh water.The men went backto the Maqflower and reported their discovery.A few days later theMagflowersailed acrossCapeCod Bayto PlymouthHarbor.Accordingto a traditional story,when the Maqflower passengers cameashorein their small boat, thev landedon a fargerocklaternamedPlgmouth Roc[.ln Plymouth,that rockis still on displayfor tourists to see. z The Pilgrimswere not trainedand equippedto cope with life in the wilderness.During their first winter, they sufferedtremendously.Diseases,cold weathet and insuffi_ cient food killed about half of them. Still, from this small group of about 50 colonists, there are thousandsof descendantsalive today.Among them is formerAmericanpres. ident GeorgeBush. 8 One spring morning in 1621,a friendlyNativeAmericanwalked into the little village of Plymouth and introduced himself. Later, he brought the chief (Massasoit).The colonists gave gifts to their new friends. The members of Massasoit'sffibe taught the Pilgrimshow to hunt and fish; how to plant pumpkins,beans,and corn;and howto fertilize the corn with fish. Becauseof this help, that fall the colonists had a good harvest. To celebrate,they decided to havea harvestfestival.Massasoit and about 90 of his men came to share the celebration. 9 The Indians sent hunters out to bring back deer meat for the feast. Some of the pilgrim men also went hunting and returnedwith wild birds such as ducks,geese,and turkeys.The women of Plymouthprepareddishesfrom corn, squash,and pumpkins.The meal was cooked and sewed out-of-doors. The holiday combined feasting and entertainment. The colonists performeda military display with their guns, and the Indians probably danced.The celebration lasted three days and was a great success. 10 Today,when Americans celebrateThanksgiving,they like to think that they are imitating that 162l harvest festival in Plymouth.And in some ways they are.The foods that are eaten are those that were part of the Plymouth diet+uch as turkey,squash,corn, and pumpkin. But in manywaysthe modem Thanksgivingdinner is quite differentfrom the meal that the Plymouth colonists shared with their Indian neighbors.To start with, the wild turkey that the Pilgrims hunted was somewhat different from toda/s dornesticated turkey. (Wild turkeys, for example, can fly, but todafs commercially produced turkeys cannot.) Next, the Plymouth colonists didn't have enough sugar to make the sweetenedcranberrysaucethat is consideredan essential part of today's Thanksgiving meal. If they had cranbeniesat all, they were probably in the turkey stuffing. If they had pumpkin, it was probably cut into pieces, not mashed and served in a pie. Also, for today'sThanksgivingdinner, most Americansset a beautiful table with a fancytablecloth and the finest dishes, glassware,and silvenvarethey have.The Pilgrims (like most earlyseventeenth-centurypeople) didn't have forks. They picked up most of their food with CHAPTER 21 o
their fingers,and then wiped their hands on very largenapkins.And, of course,few Americanseat their Thanksgiving dinneroutside,as the Pilgrimsdid. 11 Everyyear,about 500,000 touriststakea iourneyinto earlyAmericanhistoryby visiting Plymouth,Massachusetts. This modern city offersmany opportunitiesfor reliving the Pilgrim experience.In PlymouthHarbot sightseerstour Mayflower ll, a recentlybuilt ship similar to the originalMaqflower. They see the famous PlymouthRock.Thenthey spend a few hours walkingthrough a recreationof the original Plymouthvillageas it fookedin 1627.The site, calledPlimoth Plantation,is lust a,few miles from the location of the original village. Plimoth Plantationis "inhabited"by role-playingcostumed guideswho speakin manydifferentEnglishdialects,as the realPlymouthresidents did. They also demonstratea wide range of activities that were part of village life in the I 620s.
Z
Compare tftePlymouth Thanfsgiving of 162l rnrr*roun
Com[Feftenslorwithtoday's Thanftsgiving. typicalAmerican
A Fbmous Pilgrim Story In 1858,HenryWadsworthLongfellow,a famous Americanpoet, wrote a long poem about the Pilgrimsof PlymouthColony.He called it 'The Courtshipof Miles Standish." The colonists Longfellow wrote about were real people. Howevet the story he told, about two men in love with the same woman, was invented. Still, it is a famousAmerican story and well worth retelling. 13 Captain Miles Standish cameto America with the Pilgrims, but he was not a Puritan. He was a soldier.Although he was very brave in battle, Standish was timid with women. After his wife died, he was lonely and wanted to marry a Puritan girl named PriscillaMullens. But he was too shy to ask her. Instead, Standish asked his best friend, lohn Alden, to propose maniage for him. Neverwere two friends so different. Standishwas a short, stodqy,middle-aged man. lohn Alden was a young man and very handsome.While Standish was a man of action,Alden was a scholar.In only one way werethesetwo men alike, They bolh loved the same woman. 14 Poor lohn! He also loved Priscilla,but he wanted to be a loyal friend. Hiding his own feelings, he went to Priscilla and asked her to marry Miles Standish. He told her how kind the captain was. He talked about Standish's bravery in battle and about his fine family. When lohn finished talking, Priscilla asked him a question: "Whydon't you speak for yourself, Iohn?" 15 fohn didn't take Priscilla'sadvice.Instead,he retumed to his friend and told him what Priscilla had said. The captain becameveryangry."You have betrayed me!" he shouted. A short time later, Standish Ieft for a battle against hostile natives. While the captain was gone, fohn and Priscillagrewto love each other more and more. However,fohn did not ask her to marry him becausehe did not want to be an unfaithful friend.Thena message anived saying that Standish had been killed in battle. After that, Iohn proposed marriageto Priscilla. t6 As the wedding ceremony ended, the guests saw a familiar figure standing in the doonvay, a figure they thought was a ghost. It was Captain Miles Standish! He hadn't 12
beenkilledafterall.He had cometo apologizefor his anger.At the end of the story,lohn, Priscilla.and Miles were reunitedas friends.What about the real colonists?Standish eventuallyremarried,and fohn and Priscillahad I l children.One of their descendants was the famouspoet HenryWadsworthLongfellow.
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Goqt$onrlon WaslohnAldena loyalfriend,or did he betragMilesStandish?
Friends and Enemies 17
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22
Indians. Today, ln the past,the earliestresidentsof the Americaswere calledAmencan prefer group Americans. be identified Native Others still call to as some membersof this peoWhichevername is used,on ThanksgivingDay,the indigenous themselveslndians. ples are rememberedwith gratitude.Many tribes helpedearly Europeansettlers adjust to life in the American wilderness.In addition, Native American cultures have contributed much to modernAmericanlife. Of all the Indians'gifts to the settlers,food was probablythe most important.Indian foodsand methodsof planting,hunting,and fishing helpedsettlerssurvivein their new home. TWoof the most important crlops in the world---corn and white potatoes-were first planted by American Indians.They also introduced Europeansettlers to more than 80 other foods, includingthe sweetpotato, pumpkin, squash,peanut,tomato, banana, pineapple, and avocado.Native Americans showed the new arrivals how to cook these unfamiliarplantsto makegrits,popcom, succotash,and tapioca.Cacao(for chocolate), chicle {for che'vinggum), and tobaccowere also among their crops.In addition, many of the drugs that Indians extractedfrom plants are still used in modem medications. Indians also introduced settlers to various utensils, clothing, trails, and methods of transportation. Native American inventions adopted by settlers include hammock, canoes,dogsleds,toboggans,pipes, rubber balls, snowshoes,and moccasins. The colonists also adopted words from Native American languages.In the Western Hemisphere, thousands of mountains, lakes, rivers, cities, states, and countries have to mention iust a few. NativeAmerican names--Cfiic.ago,tvlar;vrcflusrltts,Oregon,andMatiu, and squash. succotnsh, Other fndian words in English indude skunk,mow, tnbauo, The most famous Native American friend of the white settlers was a young princess named Pocahontas.She was only 12 years old when English settlers came to James' town, Virginia, in 1607.Captain lohn Smith, one of these early colonists, wrote that he owed his life to Pocahontas.She threrv her arrns around Smith to prevent her father,the chief, from killing him. Pocahontasvisited the English fort often, bringing food and other necessities.Despite her kindness to the settlers, she was kidnapped by them at the age of l7 to guaranteethe good behavior of her tribe. The following year, Pocahontas manied one of the colonists. She later traveled with him to England,where she be6;rmevery popular in British society.While in London, she died of smallpox at the age of 21. She had a son from whom many Mrginians claim descent. Her fascinating story inspired a number of books and a popular animated Hollywood movie. Anotherwell-known NativeAmericanwoman was Sacagawea.Her name, usually promeans"bird woman."Shewas the guideand interpreter nounced"Sak-uh-iuh-WEE-uh," CHAPTER 21 .
who accompaniedthe Lewisand Clarkexpedition.At the requestof PresidentThomas lefferson,in I804, this group set out to explorethe west. Theytraveledsome g,000 miles,exploringterritoryfrom the MississippiRiverto the PacificOcean.Theirsafereturn (in l806)and fascinatingrepoftsencouragedfurtherexplorationand settlementof the West.In 2000,the U.S.governmentcreateda gold-coloredSI coin in honorof Sacagawea.On the coin, she is showncarryingher babyon her back. 23 Althoughthe NativeAmericanshelpedthe Europeansettlersin manyways,because both groups wanted the same land, they becameenemies. The result was a long history of bloodshedand cruelty.TheIndiansweredoomedto defeatsincethe settlershad guns,whilethe Indiansfoughtmostlywith bowsand arrows.Also,the settlerswereable to unite,while the Indiansweredividedinto hundredsof differenttribesthat werehostile to one another. 24 As earlyas 1786,the U.S.governmentbegansettingasidespecialterritories,called reservations,for Indian resettlement.The NativeAmericanswere pushedonto land that was consideredundesirable,mostly in the Southwestand the Northwest.During the mid-nineteenthcentury,they wereforbiddento leavetheseareaswithout a permit. When Columbusarrived in 1492,about 700,000nativeslived in the area that later becamethe U.S.A.By 1890,as a resultof wars,diseases, and poor livingconditions,the U.S.lndianpopulationwasdown to about 240,000. 25 In the 1920s,Americantreatmentof NativeAmericansbeganto improve.As a result, the population grew-Today,about 2.5 million NativeAmericanslive in the U.S..including the Aleuts and the Inuits (Eskimoes)of Alaska.About half of the NativeAmericans .n the U.S.A.live on or near federalreservations.Thosewho leaveusuallymoveto a big city. Most American Indians live in the west-Arizona, New Mexico,Montana, wyoming, and Califomia.However,a number of tribes art, in the South and Midwest---Oklahoma, North Dakota,and South Dakota.Thereare also dozensof small Indian communities along the East Coast.
CrazyHorse,a mountain carvingin progress UNIT7 . AmericanHolidays:Historyand Customs
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and stylesof dresshavesurtraditionallndiancustoms,languages. On reservations, vived.Touristsvisit these reseirvations to observetraditional waysof life. Varioustribes make baskets,pottery,woven blanketsand rugs,wood sculpture,beadrvork,and silver jewelry.Becauseof their beautyand fine workmanship,thesegoodsareoften purchased by tourists. 27 NativeAmericanshavebeenamongthe most deprivedof U.S.minoritygroups.Their education,income,employmentlevels,housing,health, and life expectancyare all below national averages.Howevet their quality of life is beginningto improve. Every yeaqthe federalgovernment's Bureauof IndianAffairs(BlA)spendsmillionsof dollars to improveNativeAmericanlivingconditions.The BIAhasalso respondedto Indiandemands for more control of their own affairs.Today,the majority of Native American youngpeoplecompletehigh school,and about 9"/"of those age25 or older are college graduates.Many tribes havemade money from oil discoveredon their land or by operSome tribes havegone into business,for exating gamblingcasinoson reservations. ample,makingautomotiveor electronicparts.Thereis now an lndianmiddle classthat and there are well-knownNativeAmericanwritersand includesmany professionals, artists.After centuriesof suffering,NativeAmericansare finding sornethingto be thankful for ir: a land that was once their own, among people to whom they have given so much.
Arrrn You Rrao l. Getting the Message +:t
A. Ona separatepieceof paper, completethe followingsenfenceswith informationfrom the reading.
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1. The Separatists came to America because =, ; ,-'*:
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2. It isn't historically correct to refer to all the Plymouth colonists asPilgrims because
3. The colonists were gratefirl to Massasoitand his tribe because 4. Priscilla Mullens didn't want to marry Miles Sandish because 5. The settlers and the Native Americansbecame enemiesbecause 6. Pocahontaswas kidnappedby theJamestown colonists because order.Numberthem1-5, startingwtththe earliest. B. Put theseeyentsin chronological 1. Native Americans were forced to move to reservations. savedJohn Smith. 2. Poc,ahontas 3. The Mayflower crossedthe Atlantic Ocean.4. Lonsfellow wrote "The C,ourtshipof Miles Standish.' 5. John Alden married Priscilla Mullens. -
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21 . Thanksgiving and NativeAmericans CHAPTER
ll. BuildingYour Vocabulary wordsfor thischapter.Theyare boldfacedin the A. Iheseare the 15 key vocabulary reading.Pronounce thesewordsafteryour teacher,anddrscusstheir meanings. settler survive tribe utensil wilderness
indigenous persecute propose reservation reunion
beffay cope crop enemy feast*
B. Answerthefollowingquesfionsusinga few words.Youdon'tneedto writefullsentences. Is a fork a utensil, a wilderness, or a crop? Are indigenous people original residents or neu'comers? Do Americans feast or fast on Thanksgiving Day? Was a tnbe a group of Indians or a colony of settlers?
At a reunior\ arepeoplegettrngtogetherfor the first time? Are there cities in the wilderness? Should you be loyal to your enemy? DidJohn persecutePriscilla or proposeto her? If you cope with your problems, do you handle them well? C. Workwitha partner.Aftereachword listed,thereis a paragraphnumber.Lookin that paragraphfor an antonym(opposite)of the word. Example temporary (4)
permanent
1. die (s)
5 . was faithful to (15)
2. enough (7)
6. immediately (16)
3. ancestors (Z)
7. united (23)
a. original (11)
8. allowed (24)
*Feast can be used as a noun or a verb.
UNIT 7 . AmericanHolidays:Historyand Customs
t-
lll. SharpeningReading,Skills A. General and Specific Meanings the samewordcanhavea generalmeaningand alsoa morespecifc, related Sometrmes meaning.Discussthefollowingitalrcizedwords. 1. What is a pilgrim? Who were the Pilgrims? 2. Wlrat does it mean to make a reserttationat ahotel or restaurant?What is an Indian reservation?How are theseword meaningsrelated? 3. What is the generalmeaning of the word propose?What type of proposalis mentionedin paragraphs13 and 15? B. Context Clues Rereadtheparagraphindicatedto determinewhateachunderlined word means.Underline thecorrectdefinition. l. inspire (2): a. causesomeoneto want to do something b. require someoneto do something .*r
2. voyage(4): a. a short hike or car ride b. a long trip, usually on water
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3. courtship (12): a. visiting the court of a king b. seekingromanceand/ or marriage 4. timid (13): a. courageous b. shy and friglrtened S. alike (rs): a. friendly b. similar 6. hostile (15): a. showing the desireto help someone b. showing the desireto hurt someone 7. apologize(16): a. say you're sorry for doing somethingwrong b. e4pressyouranger 8. bloodshed(23): a. injury and./ or death b. a shed full of blood
C. Making Inferences Io infer meansto figureout whatis beingsuggestedbut notstateddkectly.Makeinferences your inferences abouttheseguestions.Drscuss witha partner. 1. What can you infer aboutPriscilla{iom her question,in paragraph14,"Why don't you speakfor yourself,John?"Which man did she want to marrr,?Was she a timid or an assertiveperson? 2. What can you infer aboutPocahontas's characterfrom the descriptionof her actions it paragraph21? D. Map-Reading Practice journeyfromEnglandto Provincetown Ona map, pointout theMayflower's to Plymouth.
lV. Understanding ldioms and Expressions Oneachblankline,writethe letterof thecorrectmeaningof eachexpresslon. Thenumbers give theparagraphs in whichthe expressions are used. in parentheses 1. On display (6) means a. put out for peopleto see b. on a big ship (9), you eat it 2. If you have your Thanksgiving dinner out-of-d.oors your house open a. with the doors of b. outside 3. Rolz-plaging(17) means a. rollingi a ball around in a game b. pretendingfto be someoneelse 4. If you takeadvi.ce(f5) from a friend, you -. a. take your friend's possessions b. do what your friend suggests 5. After all (16) means a. afteralongtime b. what happenedwas a su4rrise 6. John Smith owedhislife (21) to Pocahontasbecauseshe a. lenthim s1s16y b. protected him from death
V. TakingWordsApart . A. Practice with Word Parts Studythe meanings of thesewordparts.Thenusethemto completethewordsdefined below.Usea dictionaryfor helpif necessary. un-, in- : not re- : a$ain,back ex- : olrt)beyond -less: without 1. -sufficient 2. -create 3. end4. -union 5. -desirable 6. -tract
(not e'rough) (make again) (without end) (to come togetheragain) (not good,not wanted) (removesomethingfrom something else)
B. Noun Endings for People's Occupations, Nationalities, and Activities To tell abouta person'sidentity,occupation,nationality, or acti@, Englishwords usuallyedd -r, €r, €r, - ist, - an,or -ant.Put thecorrectendingon eachnounlisted oneof theseendings: below. 1. a person who comesto seesights in a particular placn:a tour_
or a
sigfitsee_ 2. a person who lives in a colony: colon 3. a person traveling in or on a moving vehicle but not operating it: passentl__ 4. someoneborn in Europe: Europe5. the chief political leader in a colony or American state: govern_
Vl. PracticingSentencePatterns Priscilla Mullens askedJohn Alden a question beginning, "Why don't you . . . ?" This t5pe of question canbe: (1) A suggestionor offer: *Why don't you come over to my house for dinner tonight?" Answer: "Thanks,.I'd love to." (2) A question asking why a person doesnot do something: "Why don't you own a car?" Answer: "I don't know how to drive.' (continuzd on the next page)
Answerthefollowingquestion. In your opinion, was Prisciila makin$ a suggestion or asking a question when she
said,"Why don't you speakfor yourself,John?" thesequestionsbeginningw'tth"Whydon't. . ." and Why doesn't. . .?" Complete 1. It's rainin$ out. Why don't You 2. Joegot a low gradeon his math test last week. Why doesn't
Vll. Sharing ldeas A. lssues Debatetheseissuesin smallgroups.Thenchooseone andwrtte aboutit. 1. Everybody loves a love story. That's why the poet Longfellow invented one to tell about the Pilgrims. And when Hollywood made a movie about Pocahontas,it addeda fictitious romancebetweenJohn Smith and the youn$ Indian princess. Should writers changehistorical facts to make a more interesting story? Is it okay to blend fact and fiction? 2. Do newgomersto an areahave aright to push earlier residentsoffthe land? Does land really belon$ to anwparticular group of people?
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B. On a Personal Note Writeaboutoneof thesetoPics. 1. If you had lived in the seventeenthcentury, would you have left your country and come to America? Explain why or why not. 2. prelend,you areJohn Alden or Priscilla Mullens. Write a letter to a friend tellin$ about your life in Plym.outh.Use the form for a social letter that your teacher givesyou. 3. Find are,cipe(in a cookboolsmagaineror newspaper)for somethin$ traditionally eaten onftantsgiving. Try the recipa Then write apara$raph aboutyour erperience cooking it (Did it taste giood?Did you make any mistakef) Exchan$erecipesand paragraphswith four classnates.
Holiden,Iirlgty.l99ttot! UN|T7 . American
weL
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The TVinter Holida Season
A famity enjoyingthe winter holidayseason
BeronrYou Rreo Discuss 1. The picture shows a typical winter scenein a cold part of the United States. Do you like this type of winter weather? Tell why or why not. 2. The winter holidays are specialfor many people.What holidays are cnlebrated at this time of year, and why are they special? 3. Discussnew year's holidays in different cultures.
w
Guess Thenlookfor fhe answersin thereading. Tryto answerthe questions. 1. What percnntageof Americansare Christian?Check (/) one: 32%
52o/o
86%
2. How many time zones are there in the 50 American states?Check ({) one _2
_4
_6
The Winter Ilolidag Season Merry Christmas! Santa Claus, snowmen, bright lights, colorful decorations, bells, and traditional songs-all these help to make Decemberthe most festive month of the year.As the month progressestoward the winter solsfice (December2l), the daylight hours grow shorterand shorter.In the northernpaft of the U.S.,winter weathercan be (asone seasonal song says) "frightful." Yet even winter snowstorms cannot bury that contagious feeling of festivity. Why does almost everybodyfeel so good? Ifs gift-giving time, parry time, and vacation time. Students from elementary school through college have about 2 weeks'vacation, beginning shortly before Christmas and ending soon after New Yea/s Day.Many families go away for the holidays to visit relatives in another state, ski in the mountains, or sunbathe on the beaches in the South. But those who stay home have fun, too. Parties abound to celebrate the birth of Christ and the arival of the new year. Even the workplace is festive, thanks to the traditions of office parties and holiday (or end-of-the-year)bonuses (extra money given to employees). 2 Christianity,the major religiousfaith in the U.S.,the Westem Hemisphere,and the world, is based upon the teachings and life of fesus Christ. There are about 2 billion Christians worldwide. They believe in Jesus'sideas of equality, caring for the weak and needy,generosity,forgiveness,and loveand kindnessto all. Theyalso believethat Jesus Christ is the Son of God, born to the Virgin Mary and that he was sent to Earth to save the human race.The word lesusmeans "savio/'or "help of God." The word Cfrristmeans "anointed one," someone set apart for special honor. 3 Jesuswas bom in Bethlehemin ancientludea.The yearA.D.l, from which most modem calendarsare dated, is supposed to be the year of his birth. However,Jesuswas actually bom severalyearsearlier.No one knowsthe exactyear or day,but Christianshave celebratedhis birth on December25 since the fourth century.This date was probably selected so that Christnraswould replace pagan celebrations of the beginning of winter. 4 In the U.S.,the spirit of Christmasarrivesat least a month beforethe holiday itself. Starting in November,street lights and store windows begin to display the traditional Christmascolors, red and green.Santa Claus,shepherds,angels,and Nativity scenes appearin shop windows.Winter sceneswith snowmen,sleds,skaters,and skiersdecorate greeting cards and store windows. 1
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UNIT7 r AmericanHolidays:Historyand Customs
5
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The manufactureand sale of christmas items is big business.stores dependon Christmasshoppersfor about one-fourthof their annual sales smart ,hopJ"r, uuv theirgiftsfar in advance,beforethe Christmasrushmakesshoppinga chore. someshop on the Internetto avoid crowds.Christmasis often veryexpensive.To earn extra money for gifts,in DecembermanyAmericansget part-time iobsdeliveringmail or sellinggifts, trees,ornaments, or greetingcards. o Since86"/"of AmericansareChristian,December25 is both a religiousand a legal holiday.Most businessesare closedon ChristmasDay.Although all American, .un the commercial aspectsof Christmas,for Christians,the most meaningfulparts "nloy of the holidayoccurat home and in church.Many familiesgo to churchon ChristmasEve or Christmasmorning.After services,they gatheraroundihe tree and open their gifts. Then they enioy a traditionalChristmasdinner-turkey or ham, sweetpotatoes,vegetables, and cranberrysauce.Dessertis usuallyfruit cake,plum pudding,or mincepie. 7 Most of the Christmascustomsthat Americansenjoy today are variations of traditions broughthereby Europeanimmigrants.some go backto ancienttimes. 8 Exchanging cifts.The first christmasgifts were birthday gifts that the three wise Men broughtto the infant fesus.In the U.S.,it is customaryto exchangegifts with family membersand close friends.Both childrenand adults get Christmaspresents, although childrenusuallyget many more. 9 Receiving Togst'romSantaClaus.ManyAmerican children believe that on Christmas Eve, SantaClaus (a fat, iolly man who wearsa red suit and has a long white beard) slides down theirchimneyto bring them gifts.Accordingto the story SantaClausflies through the air in a sleigl' (a fancysled) putled by eight reindeer.severaldaysor weeks before Christmas,childrentell Santawhat toys they want by writing him letiersor visiting him in a local departmentstore.Then,on ChristmasEve,many youngsterslie awakelistening for Santaand his sleigh.Somechildreneven leavehim a snackof milk and cookies. 10 Where did this legend come from? Santa Claus is the American name for St. Nicholas,a generousfourth
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mastime, decorated trees stand in about two-thirds of American homes. Everyyear, Americansspendabout$a60million buyingChristmastrees.ThemodernAmericantree is usuallycoveredwith coloredglassballsand stringsof coloredlights Thestaron top the star in the Eastthat guidedthe threeWise Men to Bethlehem. represents In ancienttimes,mistletoewashungoverdoorwaysfor good luck.Todaythe custom 14 continues.but now it is for fun.Anyonestandingunderthe mistletoeis supposedto get kissed. 15 The poinsettiaplant is anotherfamiliarChristmasdecoration.lts star-shapedred leavessymbolizethe holiday.Thisplant is nativeto CentralAmericaand Mexico.It was named after foel R. Poinsett,who servedas the first U.S.ambassadorto Mexico(from 1825to 1829).An amateurbotanist,he broughtthe plant backwith him when he returnedto the UnitedStates. In the earlydaysof the ChristianChurch,the bishopssangcarolson GoingCaroling. 16 ChristmasDay.Now,soloistsand choirson the radio,on TV,in church,and in schoolall help fill the winterair with beautifulmusic.Copyingan old Englishcustom,manyAmericansgo caroling-walkingwith friendsfrom houseto housesingingthe traditionalhol17
18
iday songs. SendingChrstmasCards.The custom of sendlng Christmas cards began in London in 1843and came to the U.S.in 1875.Today,most American>(Christiansand nonChristians)send dozensof season'sgreetingscardsto relatives,friends,and business associates. Americansof all religionsenioy perChristmasThutnulProductions. AttendingTraditional an oratorio writformancesof three traditional Christmasworks. One of these is Messi.afr, ten by the German composer GeorgeFrederickHandel and performed by a chorus, orchestra,and solo singers.Another classicwork performed during the Christmasseason is a favoritewith is the Russiancomposer Peterllich Tchaikovsky'sballet TfieNutcracker.lt girl's about her dream Christmas children becauseit tells the delightful story of a little toys coming to life. Finally,there is AChnstmasCarol,a story written by the nineteenthcenturyEngtishauthor CharlesDickens.It is traditionally performedas a play and tells the tale of a mean old man namedEbenezerScrooge.Scroogeis selfish,lonely,and rich. With the help of ghosts from his past, present,and future life, he regainsthe spirit of Christmas-the ability to careabout others and enloy helping them-
celebrate? WhateventdoesChristmas custnmsNameftveotherAmerieanCftristmas HaPPY Hanukkah! 19
While Christiansbrightenwinterwith Christmascolor and lights,Iewsthroughoutthe world celebratetheir Festivalof Lights-Hanukkah. This holiday celebratesthe triumph of religiousfreedom.In 168e.c.,the Syrianking conqueredludea and tried to forcethe pow' lews to worship pagan gods. Threeyears later, a small group of fews defeatedthe erfulSYrianarmies.
UNIT7 . AmericanHolidays:Historyand Customs
-
20
Whenthe fewsrecapturedlerusalemand rededicatedtheir holy temple,they relit the eternallamp.Theyhadonly'oneday'ssupplyof the specialoil neededfor that lamp.But miraculously, the light burnedfor eightdays,until freshoil wasavailable.ln memorvof this miracle, JewscelebrateHanukkahfor eight days and light candles in a ,p".i"l hofder called a menorah. The date of Hanukkahis determined by the Hebrewcatendar. but the holidayalwaysoccursin December.So, for Americansof both the Christianand fewishfaiths,the yearends in a spirit of ioy.
WhatiloesHanuftfrnft celebrate? Wftyarelightsimportant? An African Festivd During the winter holidayperiod,African-Americans, along with Africansin many other countries,celebrateKwanza.This holidaywas developedin the U.S.A.in t966 but is basedin part upon atraditional Africanharvestfestival.The nameKwanmmeans"first fruits of the harvest"in Swahili,an East African language.The festivalbeginson December 26 and lasts for 7 days. Each day is dedicated to discussionof one of these principles: unity, selfdetermination, collectiveresponsibility,cooperativeeconomics, purpose,creativity,and faith. Kwanzacustomsinclude lighting candlesand exchanging gifts, especiallyhandmadeones. 22 On December31,community membersdressin African clothing and sharea feastof traditionalAfricanfoods.Thiscelebrationincludesmusicaland danceperformances, an assessmentof the past year,and commitmentsfor the coming year. 23 Kwanzaprovidesan opportunity forAfrican-Americansto reestablishtheir links to an African past and their connectionsto their contemporarycommunity. It is celebratedby about 5 million African-Americans and about l0 million others in Africa,Canada,the Caribbean,and parts of Europe. 21
Whereiliil Kwanzaofiginatc? Happy New Year! 24
"Ring out the old, ring in the new," wrote Alfred, Lord Tennyson,the nineteenthcentury English poet. And that's exactly what Americans do every December31. New Yea/s Eve is a time for noise and fun. At home or in restaurants,most Americansdrink and dine with friends.One popular New Years Evedrink is eggnog.made with eggs,milk or cream, nutmeg, and sugar.Throughoutthe Christmasseason,eggnogis a popular party beverage.Another is, of course,champagne-the drink that symbolizesa celebration. At midnight on New Yea/s Eve,bells ring, horns blow, and friendstoast each other with champagne.tt's also customaryto exchangekisses.Everyonecelebratesthe disappearanceof old FatherTime, replacedby the baby New Year.New Year'sEve festivities
CHAPTER 22 . The Winter HolidaySeason
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often continueuntil two or three o'clockin the morning.Manypeopletravelfrom party to anotherto celebratewith severaldifferentgroups of friends.
New YearbEvein New York City'sTimesSquare The country'smost crowded New Year'sEvecelebration takesplace in New YorkCitys TimesSquare.Since 1907,the famous ball-loweringceremonyhas beena holidayhighlight. To celebrate the anival of the year 2000,an estimated 2 million people crowded into Timessquare,and hundredsof millions viewedthe sceneon TV.The huge, 1,070pound lighted crystalball began its descent from a 77-foot flagpoleat ll:59 p.na. and reachedthe bottom at exactlymidnight. Simultaneously,confetti, balloons,and fireworksbrightenedthe night sky.It was the biggestpublic eventeverheld in the city. The new yeararrivesearlierin the Eastthan in other parts of the country.When midnight comesto New York,it is I I p.v.in Chicago,l0 p.r,'t. in Denvetand only 9 p.u.in Los Angeles.The contiguous(connected)48 statesspan four time zones;Alaskaand Hawaii add two more. 27 What do Americansdo on New Year'sDay?Many sleep late becausethey stayed up all night long. Many watch W, which offers spectacularparadesand football games betweenchampioncollegeteams.From ancienttimes to the present,New Yearscustoms have been connectedwith saying good-bye to the past and looking forward to a better future. Therefore,New Year'sDay often inspires people to start new programsand give up bad habits. Some people make New Yea/s resolutions, promises to themselvesto improve their behavior.Peopletalk about "turning over a new leaf,"referringto a clean, blank page or a fresh start. Typical New Years resolutions are to spend less money,give up smoking,begin a diet, or be nicer to others. lts safe to assumethat about half of them are forgotten by lanuary 3l ! Although the theme of the New Years holiday has not changedmuch from one century to the next,the date of the celebrationhas been changedmanytimes. The ancient
)
Egyptiansstartedtheir yearon September21,while the ancientGreeksbegantheirson fune 21.The old Romancalendarcontainedonly l0 months,and NewYear'sDaywas March|,ln 46 s.c.,fulius Caesarintroducedan improvedcalendarcontainingtwo additional months, fanuaryand February.lanuarv was named for the Roman god lanus, whose name comes from the Roman word for door.Like a doot lanus looks both ways; he is usuallyshown with two faces,one looking backwardand the other forward.Julius Caesarscalendal called in his honor the julian calendat was revisedin 1582by Pope GregoryXtll. This Gregoriancalendaris the one in use today.
celebrate? Whatis the maiortftemeof the NewYealsholiday?HowdoAmericans Chinese and Je$rish New Yearns Holidays celebratethe New Yearholidayestablishedby China'sanMany Chinese-Americans cient lunar calendarmore than 4,000yearsago. The l5-day ChineseNew Yearbegins with Yuan Tan and concludeswith the Festivalof Lanterns,held at the time of the full moon betweenfanuary2l and February19.During this period, Chinatownsectionsin maior American cities look very festive, with paper and glass lantems decorating the housesand colorful marchersparading in the streets. 30 Rosh Hashanah(which means "head of the year") is the traditional fewish New Year. It occurs in Septemberor October.Rosh Hashanahis a very solemn holiday,markingthe beginning of l0 days set aside for self-appraisal, repentance, and promises to be a better person in the coming year. In most cultures, the closing of one calendar year and the opening of another is a 31 happy,yet serious, occasion.To Americans, it is a time for fun and reflection, a time to look both ways, to review the past with nostalgia and look fonvard to the future with hope. 29
22 . Thewinter HolidavSeason CHAPTER
@
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:. ::.
ArrenYou Rrno l. Getting the Message Puta check(/) in the columnif the customis associatedwiththatholiday.Somecustoms maybe traditionalon bothholidays. Customs
Christnras
New Year's
l. exchanginggifts around a tree 2. kissing under the mistletoe 3. promising to improve oneself 4. helping the poor 5. going caroling 6. attending church services
7. watchingthe ball drop on TV 8. drinking strampagneat midnight 9. blowing horns f0. talking or writing to SantaClaus 11. sending season'sgreetingscards 12. watehing the Bowl gameson TV
ll. BuildingYour Vocabulary A. Ihese are the 15 keyvocabularywordsfor this chapter.Theyare boldfacedin the reading.Pronounce thesewordsafter'yourteacher,and discusstheirmeanings. appraisal bonus commercial" decorate evergreen
exchangef festive legend miracle nostalgia
*Cotnmzrcial can be a noun or an adjective. tThese words can be used as nouns or verbs.
UNIT7 r AmericanHolidays:Historyand Customs
s 3-
ornament solstice repentalo:crresolution triumpht
witha partner.Thenchooseanyfivequestionsto answer B. Discussthefollowingquestions on paper. 1. If your bossgivesyou a holidaybonus, will you be happy or unhappy? 2. What miracle is associatedwith the birth of Christ? 3. What do people use to decoratea Christmas tree? 4. What do we mearTbythe commercialaspectsof Christrnas? 5. What is exchangedunder the mistletoe?What is exchangfedaround the Christmas tree? 6. What triumph doesHanukkah celebrate? 7. Whatmiracle doJews cnlebrateon Hanukkah? 8. Doesa person repentafter doing somethingbad or somethinggood? 9. What New Year'sresolution will you make this year? 10. When is the winter solstice?
lll. SharpeningReadingSkills A. Making Inferences Oneach blanklne, write the letterof the correct word or phraseto completethe sentence. 1. Most American Christrras customsorigina',edin -. a. the U.S. b. otJrercountries c. Bethlehem 2. C:hrtstwas actually born -. a. on December25,t.o.l b. severalyearsbefore A.D.1 c" in the fourth century A.D. 3. Chrismas is celebratedby -. a. all Americans b. Christians ever5nvhere c. Christians andJews ever5rwhere 4. Which would notbea gfoodNew Year'sresolution? a. I'll spend more time with my family b. I'll stop smoking! c. I'll buy somegroceries 5. The year A.D.500 was about a. 1,500yearsago b. S00yeaisago c 2,50Oyears ago
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22 . The Winter HolidaySeason CHAPTER
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B. Map-Reading Practice, Onthemapof the U.S.on page287, find the linesindicatingthe timezones.Thenanswer thefollowingquestions. l. Are thesestraightlines? 2. Can you make an inference about why they aren't?
3. Write the names of the four time zonesin the contiguous48 states: a.
c.
b.
d.
lV. Understandingldiomsand Expressions Oneachblankline,writethe letterof thecorrectwordor phraseto completethe sentence. give theparagraphsin whichthe expressions Thenumbersin parentheses are used. l. The Christmasrush (5) refersto -. a. shoppers b. churchgoers c. carolers 2. Roly-polUG0) means a. fat b. jolly c. slender 3. Greeting cards containing "season'sgreetings" (t7) arc usually sent to a. strangers b. Santa Claus c. relatives, friends, and businessassociates 4. Turning overanewleaf {27) means a. buying a ne\ r poinsettia plant b. decoratingfyour home with new eve4ireens c. making a fresh start and improving one'sbehavior 5. When you laokforward n (3t) an even! you -. a. e4rect and want it to happen b. fear it c. make it happen sooner
fr Ii
V. Taking Words Apart- ., of the Letters ch The letters ch are usually pronounced as in A. Pronunciation and cheese. But in some words, ch is pronounced like a /eand in the words child others like sh. Say the followingwords after your teacher:
lchl
lkl
lshl
chore chimney church China
chorus, choir school, orchestra Christmas, Christ ache, cTtaracter
champagne Chicago Michigan machine
B. Pronunciation and Spelling of Ordinal Numbers Ordinainumberstell position or order.They begin with frsf second,third. After that, add -th to changethe cardinalnumber to the ordinal. More spellingchangesto note: 1. Just addh:eight, eighth; twenty-eight,twenty-eighth 2. Clrrangefinat -U to -ie: twcnty, tr-.'ent'gth;thirfy, thfudgttl 3. Changevetof: fiyg, fifth; twelve,twelflh Ordinal numbers are used for calendar dates,floors of a building, rows in a theater, and many other things. witha partnerby sayingthe folbwing dates.Lookon a Practiceordinalnumberpronunciation calendaror in theholidaysectionsof tfitsbookfor datesyou donTknow. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.
New Year'sDay Fla{Day Columbus Day Halloween Thanksgiving Day Christmas Day the last day of the year your birthday
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22 . TheWinter HolidaySeason CHAPTER
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Vl. Practicing SentencePatterns In tlre first sentencn of paragraph l g, whilc is a transitional word connecting two events that happen at the same time. However, the second sentence in paragraph 28, whileis a word of contrast, similar to although in the first sentencr of the paragraph.
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Study these examplescarefully.Thenwrite two sentenceswith while, one of each type. 1. (IJse while to connect simultaneous actions.)
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2. (llse while to contrast two ideas.)
Vll. Sharing ldeas A. lssues Debatetheseissuesin smallgroups.Thenchooseoneandwriteaboutit. 1. Christrnas is a religious holiday, and American law and tradition require separationof church and state.Should tax dollars (from a local, statg or the federalgovernment)be spent to put Christmas decorationsin and around public buildings? In public schools,should children sing Christmas carolsin music class and make Ctristmas decorationsin art class? 2. [;very year during the holiday season,some people developa psychological problem called Christmnsblu,es(afeeling of great sadness).Why migfrt some peoplebe depressedat this time of year? B. On a Personal Note Wrrteaboutoneof thesetoPics. 1. Pretend you are building a snowrnan. To have a well-dressedsnowmarqwhat clothing and props would you use?Describe your snowrnan 2. Pretendthat you are dressedup as Santa Claus to gliveout $iffs at a party for hospitalized children. What are you wearingf; How do you feel in the costume? 3. Pretend thatyou have a neighbor who has no relatives and few friends livin$ in the samecity. What can you do to help this person avoid the "Christmas blues"? 4. Do you believein miracles?If so, write about one you think really happened.
.+
Two Presidents and Two Wars
Mount Rushmore National Memorial (South Dakota)
You Reno BrroRe Discuss 1. What do you know about PresidentsGeorgieWashin$ton and Abraham Lincoln? In the picture, which two are Washington and Lincoln? 2. Whatis a revolutionary war? What is a civil war? What causesthesetypes of wars? 3. What sectionsof the presentday U.S. fought in the American Revolutionary War? In the American Civil War? Point theseareasout on a map of the U.S.
Guess Try to answerthe questions.fnii,n look for the answersin the reaciir1. 1. Which of these former presidentshas an American state ir:nn*ll ;.irur iiiiiri Check (/) _
one:
George Washington
Abraham Lincoln
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2. Whose portrait is on these coins?
the penny
the quarter
3. Who's on theseAmerican bills? the $1 bill
the $5 bill
Two Presidents end Twa $4,&r^"=; 1
GeorgeWashingtonand Abraham Lincoln are the only Americar i i:,sirieni,irr,i',i,se birthdaysare widely celebratedas legal holidays.Why are these irr.,i.,. ,.:,.iii'r;-rii.)!;i{ti€rji:r cially honored? Without their wise leadership,the United Stat*s ii;\rnerica r,:,,ii;J probably not exist today. Both men lived during critical periods ir ;i,nisr;i-::rihistory and both met the challengeof theirtimes with great courageand wisderm.'",rrr.iiiinstr:nfi:;ed the dangersof a revoludonary war to help the 13 American eerl**g*."i*ir i.i:r.'ii;i,ril;pendencefrom England.Lessthan l00 yearslater,Lincoln E**ciiar*d:,iji:i i ,.,ii i i'r:,::,,,rr,1 i. ern states to keep the young nation from dividing in two. 2 But Washingtonand Lincoln are rememberednot only fr:r theil i-;,.,ii'iri;ir-ii.!r, ii.lplishments.Both men are Americanheroes.Theyare syrn*:*lsc;ft.r.ilil.--,r'i !";s:lil i,1., are greatly admired by Americans.Among these admirable traits are honesty,cor-ii;i:r.:, and love of freedom.
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-i'iri: GeorgeWashington, commonlycalledthe'fatherofhis cnultr,,i,!vil:;l.:,:r::ti ::. i ,;:i::.i son of a wealthyVirginiaplanter,he was privatelyeducatedand trainedtc i:e a siJrvr3,L rr (a personwho measuresland boundaries).But when servingas at t:ffi':r,:l;i; i-lir.i:;:,i,.i. and IndianWar {from 1753to l75B),he gainedan interesland rr,pr:ri:f{crir l.lrlii:,ir., leadership. ln 1759,Washingtonmarried awidow named Marth* Cus{is.,,,'i:r,i;rt{:i l}ri,iri'r',,1,i.,,mousas a wonderfulhostessin the first presidentshome.Aftei l;is :ir*liiilp,{:r, x';;:lrii;.;. ton retumed to his Virginia plantation, Mount Vernon,io live the iifr,:r,:i;; g;-.11ije1; ;.11:: farmer.However,he soon becameinvolvedin colonial oppositim* tr.,iirlri:;)rp*liei*r , r America.ln 1763,the Britishgovemmentbeganto tax its American{ollr ji:r if}li{-il:i'r,i'.,ily and also tried to increaseits control over the colonies. Engiar,l'tatririi ir: r:r,,iirir":.
UNIT7 . AmericanHolidavs:Historyand Customs
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coloniesall the manufacturedgoods the colonistsneeded,so it tried to restrictthe colonists'tradewith othercountries.Englandalso prohibitedwestwardexpansioninto Americanterritoriesreservedfor the tndians.But the increasedtaxationcausedthe most trouble.Eventually, the colonistsrefusedto paythe newtaxeson stamps,tea,and other imports.As a result.relationsbetweenthe mother countryand its colonieswent from bad to worse. 5 ln 1774,the FirstContinentalCongressmet. lt wasattendedby 56 delegates from I 2 of the | 3 colonies.Thisgrouptold Gre.t Britainwhat kind of treatmentthe coloniesdemandedconcerningtaxation,trade,and the right to maketheir own laws.But British colonialpoliciesdid not change.ln 1775,the SecondContinentalCongress declaredwar on GreatBritainand namedWashingtoncommanderin chiefof the Revolutionary Army. Washington'slob was verydifficult.His army was small, poorly fed,and inadequately clothed.The men sufferedgreatlyduringterriblycold winters.Washingtonhad to fight Warwith poorlyequipped,untrainedsoldiers.He neveraskedfor and the Revolutionary neverreceivedany salaryfor the iob he performed.ln fact, he often spenthis own money to buy clothesfor his men and sendaid to their families. 6 Beforethe coloniesdeclaredtheir independence, celebrationshonoringthe birthdaysof British rulerswerecustomary.After the Declarationof Independence, the American people ignored royal birthdaysand began instead to celebrateGeneralWashington's birthday.Thiscustom startedin 1778during the army'scold, snowywinteratValley Forge,Pennsylvania,when one of the military bands marchedto Washingtonsheadquartersand played for him. 7 With help from the Frenchgovernment,Washington'sarrny was able to defeatthe British. By 1781,it was obviousthat the British had given up. It was then suggestedthat a monarchybe set up, with Washingtonas king.Washingtonviewedthis idea "with abhorrence"(hatred).He was not an ambitious man. He didn't want political power.He only wanted to go home-Whenthe peacetreaty was finally signedin I783,Washington eagerlyreturnedto Mount Vernon.But his quiet life as a farmerwas again interrupted. When the new country formed a stronger national government, GeorgeWashingtonwas unanimously chosen as its first president. He took office in 1789and was reelectedin 1792.ln 1796,herefuseda third term and retiredfrom political life. He died 2 yearslater and was buried at Mount Vemon.Today,more than a million tourists visit this beautiful site everyyear. a Shortly after his death,Washingtonwas praisedin these famouswords:"Firstin wat first in peace,and first in the heartsof his countrymen."To the Americanpeople,Washington symbolizesdignity, statesmanship,and, above all, honesty.The famous cherry tree story which was invented by Washingtons first biographer,has becomea lesson in morals for all American schoolchildren.The story says that when GeorgeWashington was about 6 yearsold, his father gave him a hatchet, which the little boy loved to play with. One day, he hit the edge of his hatchet against his father's favorite young cherry tree. He did enough damage to kill the tree. The next morning, his father noticed the damageand ran into the houseshouting,"George,do you know who killed that beautiful little qherrytree . . - in the garden?"Georgesfamous reply was, "l can't tell a lie, Pa, you know I can't tell a lie. I cut it with my hatchet." His father, pleased with the boy's coLlrageand hortesty,quickly forgave him. Becauseof this cherry tree story traditional
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23 . Two Presidentsand Two Wars CHAPTER
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dessertson Washington'sbirthda-vare cherry pie or a log-shapedcakedecoratedwith cherries. g Thebirthdayof the nation'sfirst presidenthas beendeclareda holidal'by the federal governmentand by all the individualstates.In I968,the federalgovernmentmovedthe Daq.In some holiday to the third Monday in Februaryand also renamed it Presidents' callthe some states and Lincoln, and Washington both honor to is an occasion states,it presidents. former all honors holiday the states, other Day.ln dayWashington-Lincoln
Whateausedthe AmericanRevolution? GouprdrmrlonWhat twoimportnntiobsdid CeorgeWashingtonhave?
Zmr*wn
Ahraham Lincoln .10 AlthoughAmericansadmireGeorgeWashington,the greatestAmericanhero is certainlyAbrahamLincoln.Why?Americansliketo believethat peoplewho arehonestand hardworkingcan achievesuccessno matter how humbletheir beginnings.Lincolnis a man' perfect example of what Americans call a self-mad'e cabin in Kentucky.His parentswere a log 1809, in 12, Lincoln was born on February 11 youth demonstratehis honesty.(ln fact, uneducatedand poor. Storiesabout Lincoln's he eamed the nickname"HonestAbe.")Although Lincoln eventuallybecamea lawyer, he had very little formal education.But he did have a brilliant mind and great moral strength. He had the courageto do what he felt was right, no matter how great the sacrifice. In 1860,shortly beforethe Civil War began,he said, "Let us havefaith that right makesmight; and in that faith let us, to the end, dare to do our duty as we understand 12
it." Electedto the presidencyin 1860and reelectedin 1864,Lincoln was the first successful presidentialcandidatenominated by the Republicanparty. During his presidency,the American Civil Warwas fought. The issueswere slaveryand secession.ln the agricultural southern states,blacks forcibly brought from Africa were used as slavesto work on tobacco and cotton farms and do housework. In the industrial North, slavery was illegal. In the northem states,where there were only small farms, the economyhad little use for large numbers of agricultural workers.Moreover,Northernersopposedslavery as inhumane. In order to protect their right to keep slaves,the southem leadersdecided that the southern states should secede(separate)from the Union and form a new
nation-the ConfederateStatesof America' 'A Lincoln felt that the Union had to be saved.In 1858,Lincoln had said, housedi13 vided against itself cannot stand. I believe this govemment cannot endure permanently half slaveand half free."ln 1860.the U.S.A.,was, indeed,"a housedivided."At that time, the U.S. was the only important democracy in the world. Self'government would be proved a failure if the nation could be destroyed by a minority of its own citizens.Lincoln chose to lead the country into civil war rather than allow the South to secede. 14 There were 33 Ainerican states when the Civil War began- Eighteen of them did not (Virallow slavery,and t 5 did. During the Civil War I l states fought for the Confederacy ginia, North Carolina,South Carolina,Georgia,Florida,Tennessee,Alabama,Missis-
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sippi,Arkansas,Louisiana,and Texas).On the Union side therewere 23 states,aftera sectionof Virginiathat wantedto remain in the Union separatedfrom the rest of the stateand becameWestVirginia(in 1863).Sevenwesternterritoriesalso foughton the Union side.Among the statesthat borderedthe t"torthand the South,some sided with and otherswith the Union. For some,it was a difficultdecision.Kenthe Confederacy groupswithin tuckyand Missouri,for example,remainedin the Union,but secessionist these states set up their own state governmentsand sent representatives to the ConfederateCongressThe Civil War oeganin April of 1861,only a few monthsafter Lincoln'sinauguration as president.lt beganwhen Lincolndeclaredsecessionillegaland sent militarytroops to keepfederalpossessionof a U.S.governmentfort locatedin the harborof Charleston, SouthCarolina.ln terms of human suffering,the CivilWarwas by far the most painful the U.S.has everbeen involvedin. About 620.000soldiersdied in battle and another 500,000sufferedfrom war-relatediniuries or illnesses.The numberof Civil War deaths rvasalmost as high as the total numberof Americanliveslost in all other warsthat the U-S.was involvedin from 1775to 1995.In addition,the CivilWarcausedthe breakupof many friendshipsand even familieswhen loyaltieswereon opposite sides.By the end of the war,the economyof the South was in ruins and a greatdeal of properryhad been destroyed.On April 9, 1865,General Robert E. Lee, the Confederatecommanderin chief,surrendered to GeneralUlyssesS. Grant,the Union commander.lt took until May 26 before the word reached all the generals in the field, and the battle between the North and the South finally ended. During the war,Lincoln'sEmancipationProclamationdeclaredall slavesin the Confederatestates to be free.After the war, the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution was adopted. It freed all slavesthroughout the nation. Lincoln was an excellentwriter who could expresshis beliefsclearlyand with great emotional force. For example,in 1863,Lincoln dedicateda national cemeteryin Getthe site of one of the Civil War'sbloodiestbattles.He ended his tysburg,Pennsylvania, shortestand most famous speechwith the following wish: ". . . that this nation, under God,shall havea new birth of freedom,and that governmentof the people,by the people, for the people shall not perish from the eafth."Thesewords,as well as other parts of Lincoln's speeches,are still memorized and recited by schoolchildrenand actors becausethey expressin beautiful languagethe highest ideals of American democracy. On April 14, lt3fl5,lessthan a weekafter Lee'ssurrender,Lincoln,his wife, and some friendsattended a play at Fords Theatrein Washington,D.C.Shortlyafter l0:00 p.tu.,a gunshot was heard in the crowdedauditorium. Iohn WilkesBooth, a well-knownactor and southem sympathizer,had shot the president in the head. Lincoln was canied unconscious to a neighboring house, where he died early the following morning. He was the first American Presidentto be assassinated,but, unfortunately,not the last. BecauseLincoln had spent most of his adult yearsin lllinois, his body was brought back there and buried in the state capital, Springfield. Now there is a large monument where Lincoln, his wife, and three of their four sons are buried. Visitorsto Springfield can also tour the home wherethe Lincolns lived beforemoving to the White House. Lincolns birthday.February12,is celebratedas a legal holiday in l4 states.Another l 5 stateshonor him on Presidents'Dayor Washington-LincolnDay.Arizonacelebrates
23 . Two Presidentsand Two Wars CHAPTER
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Lincoln's birthdayon the secondMondayin February. Mostof the southernstatesdo notcelebrate Lincoln's birthdaysincehewastheirenemyduringtheCivilwar What wereLhetwomain causes of the Ameican CivilWar? Z *rr* rounHowmany menwereftilledor woundedin thiswar? 'Gompnohondon Howdid Lincolndie?
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The namesand facesof both Washington and Lincoln are an important partof Americanculture.Washingtonis the only presidentfor whom a state is named.The state of Washingtonis in the northwestpart of the UnitedStates. On the othersideof the countryliesthe nation'scapital city, Washington,D.C. The nation'scapitalhas beautifulmonuments honoring thesetwo great presidents.The WashingtonMonumentmore than 555feet high-is the capital city's only skyscraperand the tallest masonry {stone) tower in the world. The Lincoln Memorial containsa beautiful marble sculpture (largerthan lifesize) of a seated Lincoln. Throughout the U.S.A., cities, towns, streets, schools,bridges,and other structures are named for both Washington and Lincoln. Portraits of both these national heroes decorate the walls of many public buildings. ln addition, The Lincoln Memorial (Washington, D.C.) portraits of Washington and Lincoln (likethose of other presidents)appearon the front of U.S.coins and bills. Washington's picture is on the quarter and the Sl bill; Lincolns is on the penny and the 95 bill. To Americans,the facesof Washingtonand Lincoln are as familiar and inspiring as their courageousleadership.
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ArrrR You Reno l. Getting the Message in thischartdescribe A. Someof the sentences Washington, and somedescribeLincoln, somedescribe bothmen.Putchecks(/ )in theappropriate boxes.
1. He was born into a poor family. knou'n for his honesty. 3. A state is named after him. 4. His face is on American money. 5. He was married. 6. He was president durin$ a war.
7. He was a skillfrrl militarv leader.
9. He was assassinated.
10. Tourists can visit his home.
B. 0n eachblankline,writethe letterof thecorrectphraseto completethesentence. 1. In the Revolutionary War, the American Revolutionary forces fouglrt against a. each other b. France c. Great Britain 2. In the Civil War, the American statesfought against a. the Native Americans b. Great Britain c" each other 3. If the colonieshad lost the Revolutionary War, tlrey migfrt still, even today,be a. a commumst country b. governedby England c. two countries (continaed on the next page)
23 . Two Presidentsand Two Wars CHAPTER
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,ii.:, 4. rf the south had won the civil war, today the southeastern part of the u.S. rvould be _. a. the Confederate States of America b. a British colony c. aparl of the U.S. 5. In the Civil War, the Confederacy fought against the rest of the United States, commonly caiied a. the Union or the North b. the South c. the colonies
ll, Building Your Vocabulary A. Iheseare the 15 keyvocabulary wordsfor thischapter.Theyareboldfacedin the reading.Pronounce thesewordsafteryour teacher,anddrscusstheirmeanings. battle*
honor*
revolutionarv*
colony declare
ideal* ignore
secession surrender*
endure forgavet
opposition policy
unanimously wisdom
B. Complete thesesentenceswith someof thekey vocabulary woros.Youmayneedto use somewordstwice.Makethe nounspluralif necessary,and puteachverb into the correct tenseandform. 1. In the story about GeorgeWashington and the cherty treg the boy's father his son for disobeyinghim becausehis son told the truth. 2. TheBritish
the colonists' complaints about higft taxes.
3. In 1776, dunng the Revolutionary War, ttre American colonies their independencefrom England. 4. Geo4ieWashingtonwas
chosenas the first president of the
new nanon.
s. A(n)
war is fought to make a completechangfein the
government. 4
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6. Slavervand
causedthe American Civil War.
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*These words can be nouns or verbs. t Forgaveis the past tense of forgive. *These words can be adjectives or nouns.
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7. Northern
to slavery was one of the main causesof the
Anrerican Civil War. 8. Washington and Lincoln were men of great
and honor.
9. In Washington, D.C., beautiful monuments
the memory of
these two great presidents. 10. Five urlcountable nouns in this vocabulary list are and
C. Answerthesequestionsby writingYesor No. l.
Wassecessiontried as a way for the South to keepslavery?
2. If you forgrve someonefor hurting you, do you stay angry? 3. lf you ignore something, are you paylng attention to it? 4. Does the side that loses a war surrender? 5. Is a colony an independent country? 6. Does an honorable person have high ideals? 7. If you declareyour opposition to something,are you in favor of it? 8. Does a person with wisdom usually make good decisions?
lll. SharpeningReadingSkills A. Making Inferences Workwitha parfulrur. Oneach blankline,writethe letterof the correctanswerto the guestion. 1. The famous cherry tree story (paragraph8) illustrates which two gioodcharacter traits? a. strength and modesty b. courageandhonesty c. wisdom and kindness 2. What's the meaning of 'Let us have faith that right makes might"? (paragraph 11)a. If we are strong, we will alsobe morally rigflrr b. If we are morally dght, that will give us strength. c. Right and migfotare the sarne. (continurd on the nzxt page)
CHAPTER 23 r Two Presiden8and Two Wars
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3. \Vhen Lincoln said "A-house divided against itself cannot stand," (paragraph 13) u'hat was he comparinf _ a- an old house and a neu'house b. a house cut in half with a countr;r that allowed slavery in some areasbut not others c- the U.S. and Great Britain 4. In the quotation in paraSraph 13, u'hat did Lincoln predict would happen to the U.S. if it continued to have both slave states and free states? a. It would not survive. tr. It would have slavery eve4rwhere. c. It would have no slavery. B. The Effipsis Note the use of three dots inparagraphs 8 and 12. This punctuation is called an ellipsis.what is its purpose? It means that one or mor€ words have been omitted from the quotation.
lV. Understandingldiomsand Expressions A. Answerthe followingquestions aboutexpressions usedin thereading.Thenumbers in parentheses give theparagraphsthat containthe answers. 1. why is washington calledthzfatfur ofhis country (3, 5,7)? Give two reasons.
2. Why is Lincoln calleda self-mafuman(tO, tt)Z
B. Discussthe meaningsof the expressions listedbelow.Thenusethemto completethe parentheses give sentences.The numbers in the paragraphs in whichtheexpressions are used. aboveall (8) break up (tS)
give up (7) no matter (11)
side with (14)
1. Through difficult times, the Revolutionary Army kept fighting The soldiers didn't 2. 1l}lrerevolutionary forceswanted to win their independencg so they kept fighting,
how difficult and dangerousit was.
3. Lincoln was intelligent, humblg and, 4. Did Lincoln 5. The South wanted to
honorable.
the North or the South? the U.S. into two countries.
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V. Taking Words Apart. A. Look-Alike Words Dtscussthe meanings andpracticethepronunciation of thefollowinggroupsof words.Then underlinethe correctwordsto completethe sentence s. Finally,readthe sentences aloud. a dzsert,to d.esert,a dessert to separate(verb), separate(adjective) to face(verbJ,aface (noun) human,humane 1. Sometimessoldiersbecomefrightenedand run away or (fusat / dnssert)from the army. A (desert/ dessert)is a dry, sandy area.Cherry pie is a traditional (desert/ dessert)on Washington'sbirthday. 2. The southern stateswanted to (separate/ separated)from the rest of the U.S. and becomea (separate/ separated)country, so they seceded,or (separate/ separated) from the Union. 3. Washington and Lincoln both (fadng /faced.)difficult decisions.Today,their fface/fam) are familiar to all Americans. 4. The Civil War led to a greatdeal of (human /humane) suffering. The war was foughtbecausepeople in the North thought that slavery was not (human/ hum,ane). B. Silent ft At the beginning of a word, sometimesthe letter h is silen! especially when it is followed by the letter o. Saythesewordsafteryour teacher. Silent h: honest, honor, hour Pronouncedh: hLohLday, homg hostess,humang humble C. Negative Prefixes Threeprefixesthat meannot are il-, in, andun. Use thecorrectprefixto make eachword from thereadingnegative.Usea dictionaryfor helpif necessary.
Example un happy 1.
legal
3.
humane
2.
conscious
4.
fortunately
5.
adequate
CHAPTER 23 o Two Presidentsand Two Wars
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D. Nouns and Verbs That End in -y To make plurals, third per"sor ;t;i:gular present tense, and past tense forms of words that end in -y, fcrl"lowthcrlr ruies: If a consonant precedes the -y, change the g to ibefore adding (; ,:r -;'ii,
Examples city:
cibies
I try: he
If a vowel precedes&" -U,don't make this change.Justad -s. Examples key:
keye
I enjoy: he
eniqts
play:
played
Writetheplural. 1. policy:
2. c,ountry.
Wrrtethethird personsingular(presenttense).
1. hurry:
2. stay:
Wrttethepast tense. 1. ty:
2. bury:
3. enjoy:
Vl. PracticingSentencePatterns A. The Emphatic Past Tense Thesetwo sentences$iiijri:.'l.:ly ri;;ilr-liii: Lincoln had very little schooling, but he had a brilliant mind, Lincoln had very little schooling,but he did have a brilliant mrnd. The two sentenceshave the samemeaning,but the secondemphasizes*ie e*n[mst. Drscussin class varioustimes wtrcnemphaticformsare used.Ihen conrpietethe foJJbwng past tenseverbs. sentenceswith emphatic 1. We didn't have any milk in the house,but we 2. I didn't need help with my math class,but I
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B. Let us or LetS Let's is the contraction for l"etus.This sentence pattern is used to make a suggestion that the speaker and the listener do some*ring together. Lincoln used it in his famous statement "Let us have faith that right makes might.', I*t us is very formal. In ordinary conversation,Iet'sis usually used. After let's, abase verb (with no ending) is used. Writetvvosentences beginningwith Let's. 1. L€t's
2. Iet's not
Vll. Sharing ldeas A. lssues Debatetheseissuesin smallgroups.Thenchooseoneandwrite aboutit. 1. Is a revolutionary leader a hero or a traitor? When is it morally right for people to revolt? 2. Did the south have the right to secede?can part of a countr5rdeclare independence? 3. Washington,who worked so hard for freedor:, was himself a slaveowner. (He did, however,ftee his slavesin his will.) Does that make W'ashingtonless of a hero? B. On a Personal Note Writeaboutone of thesetoprcs. 1. Describeyour ideal heto or heroine- What character traits and goalsmust ttis person have? 2. Readmore about one of thesepeoplg and then write your reaction to their decisiont alotd/ or actions: Mary Todd Lincoln, Robert E.rne, orJohn wilkes Booth. 3. Do you think ifs important for political leadersto be moral peoplein their personallives? 4. Tell about a revolution or a civil war that vou know about
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CHAPTER 23 . Two Presidentsand Two Wars
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Four Patriotic Holid
Threesymbolsof the United Statesof America
BrroneYou Rrno Discuss 1. Why do you think the flag, the bald eaSq andUncle Ssm are symbolsof the United States? 2. Doyou know the meaning of patri- in En$ish or another lan$uafep Have you heard,peoplerefer to their native country as their fatherlnnd ot motherlan'il what doesthis sug$estabout people'sfeelin$sfor their country? 3. Who were the opposingsidesin the American Revolution and the Civil War?
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Tryto answer the questions.Then look for the answersin the reading. 1. Whose signature is the biggest and fanciest on the Declaration of Independence? Check (/) one: -
Benjamin Franklin
-John
Hancock
2. What is the national bird of the U.S.? Check (/) the turkey
-
the bald eagle -
George Washington
_ one
the robin
Foar Patriotic llolidags :
Why Patriotism? The Scottishauthor Sir WalterScott ( 177l-1832)wrote a famous poem called"Love of Country."lt begins with this question: "Breathesthere the man, with soul so dead / Who neverto himself hath said:/ This is my own, my native land. . . .'" At the end of the poem, Scott predictsthat a man who does not love his country will die "unwept,unhonored,and unsung." 2 Patriotism is encouraged, expected, and commonplace worldwide. Why? Love of countryseemsto servethe needsof nationsas well as their individualcitizens.After all, in order to survive,a nation needs loyal citizens who will support and defend its interests until death if necessary.On the other side of the coin, citizensneed to feel linked to an honorableand enduring nation. Holidaysthat celebratea nation'sbirth, military victories,significant accomplishments,and great leaders make people feel proud of their national heritage. Patriotic holidays are also occasionsfor telling the nation's "story"to the next generationand to new immigrants.In the U.S.A.,national memories give a multi-ethnic nation a common culture. 3 In February,Americans celebratethe greatnessof GeorgeWashington and Abraham Lincoln.Fourother patriotic holidaysspanthe yearfrom springthroughlate fall. Memorial Day was inspired by the Civil War and Veterans Day by World War l. The two other patriotic holidays-lndependence Day and Flag Day-are related to the American Revolution and the birth of the U.S. t
havepatrioticholidays? uthAcountries Whataresomereasons Menrorial Day 4
Memorial Day,originally establishedto honor the Civil War dead, now honors all Americanswho lost their lives in militarv service.Unofficially,the holiday has been CHAPTER 24 c FourPatrioticHolidavs
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extendedbeyond its militaryconnectionto becomea day of generaltribute to the dead. On Memorial Day, cemeteiiesare crowded with families who come to decoratethe graves of their loved ones. Shortly after the bitter and bloody Civil War between the northern and southern s states,the women of Columbus,Mississippi,put flowerson the gravesof both Confederateand Union soldiers.By doing so, they honored the war dead who weretheir enemies along with their Confederatedefenders.Northernerssaw this gestureas a symbol of national unity. In 1868,DecorationDay-now called Memorial Day-became a legal holiday.'lbday, in everystate exceptAlabama,Memorial Day is celebratedon the last Monday in May. Paradesand military exercisesmark the occasion.Also, in much of the country,Memorial Day is the first warm-weatherholiday.Peopleget out the barbecue grill and startplanningoutdoorfun. But, hopefully,they rememberthemeaningbehind the dav.
Yom El cnscr
GomlrehsnclonOn Memoial Day, whois remembered?
Veterans DaY VeteransDay,like Memorial Day,is a serious holiday honoring men and women who have served in the military. Originally, the holiday was called Armlstice Day.lt was established by PresidentWoodrowWilson in l9l9 to commemoratethe signingof the armistice (on November I l, l9l8) that brought an end to World War I. ln 1954,PresiDay dent Dwight Eisenhowersigned a bill changir,gthe name of the holiday toYeterans wars. The veterans of all and extending its significanceso that it now honors American holiday is celebrated on November I l throughout the U.S. and in other countries as well. The armistice between the opposing forces in World War I was signed in the eleventh month, on the eleventhday,at I I n.u. Some people still observetwo minutes of silenceat that time. z On VeteransDay,the flag is displayed,and veterans march in paradesin many communities. Special servicesare held at the Tomb of the Unknowns in Arlington National Cemetery.The Tomb of the Unknownsis special to Americans becausethe unidentified membersof the military buried there symbolizeeveryonewho has died in defenseof the U.S.targe crowds also gatherfor servicesat the Vietnam VeteransMemorial (commonly calfed TheWaIl)in Washington,D.C. g On this holiday, veterans'organizations in many countries sell paper poppies (red flowers) to raise money for needy veterans. Poppies became associatedwith World War I becauseof a famous poem by lohn McCrae.He wrote about a World War I Belgianbattle site, now an American military cemetery:"ln Flandersfields the poppies blow / Between the crosses,row on row."The poppies symbolizethe contrast betweenthe beautiful, peaceful landscapeand the bloody battlefield it once was. 6
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Independence
Day
Independence Day,the most importantpatrioticholidayin the U.S, celebrates tlre birth of the nation.ln 1776,the I3 Americancolonieswere in the midst of the RevolutionaryWar againstGreatBritain.On July2, the SecondContinentalCongress(which had representativesfrom all l3 colonies) passed a resolution of independence.TWo days latet this body adopted the Declarationof Independence-a document that declaredthe coloniesfreeand independent.In takingtheseactions,theserevolutionary leaderswere riskingtheir lives,and they knew it. lf the colonieshai lost the war,these leaderswould probablyall havebeen executedfor treason.Ben Franklintold the other 'We n,ustall hangtogether,or assuredly membersof the ContinentalCongress, we shall all hangseparately." '10 The Declarationof lndependencewaswritten by ThomasJefferson, who later became the young nation'sthird president.The documentlisted the abusesthat the colonists had sufferedat the handsof GreatBritainand its king,GeorgeIIl. Its most famousparagraphsummedup idealsthat are still held by Americanstoday: WeholdtheseTruthsto be self-evident, that all Menarecreatedequal,thattheyare endowedbytheirCreatorwithcertainunalienable Rights,that amongthesea.eLife, Liberfy,andthe Pursuitof Happiness-That to securetheseRights,Governments are institutedamongMen,derivingtheirjustPowersfromthe Consentof theCoverned. Thesewords implied,amongother things,that govemmentshould be the servantof the people,not the other way around. tl After making a few changeson Jefferson's draft, on fuly 4, 1776,the membersof the ContinentalCongressacceptedthe revisedversion.The documentwas quicklyprinted and announcedto the public on luty B. The news of independencewas greetedenthusiastically by most colonists. The following day, in New Yo* City, an excited crowd pulled down a statue of King GeorgeIII. Later its lead was melted down to makebullets for the war. t2 On luly 19,Congressordered the Declarationof Independencewritten on parchment in special script. The membersof the Continental Congresssigned this fancydocument. Today,this original signedcopy is on display in the NationalArchivesin Washington, D.C.Among the 56 signatures,one name stands out. It is the large, fancy signature of John Hancock,president of the Second Continental Congress.Today,his name is often used as a synonym for the wordsignature. When asked to sign a legal document, Ameri"Put your lohn Hancockright here." cans are sometimes told, '13 Since IndependenceDay is a summer holiday and a day off from work for almost everyone,manyfamilies enioy picnics or beach outings. The occasionis also commemorated by colorful and noisy ffreworks disptays, parades, and, in some communities, patriotic speeches.The flag is flown, and red, white, and blue ribbons are used for decoration at public ceremonies. 14 On the Fourth of luly weekendof 1999,Americans heard good news.On the nation's birthday, President Bill Clinton announced the rebirth of the national bird, the bald eagle. (No, this maiestic bird isn't bald. The white feathers on its head lust make it look that way.)Like the nation it represents,the bald eagle has survivedgood times and bad. At one time, about half a million of these huge birds flew in the skiesof North America. CHAPIER24 t Four PatrioticHolidavs
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By 1963,bald eagleswerecloseto extinction.Only 417 breedingpairsremainedin the contiguous48 states Hunters,pesticides,powerlines,and loss of habitatcausedthis SpeciesAct ledto protectivemeasdecline ThenDDTwasbanned,and the Endangered ures.Today,the U.S.A.is home to about 6,000pairsof thesepowerfulbirds,and they are being takenoff the endangeredspecieslist. Americansare delighted.They laugh whenthey recallthat BenlaminFranklinwantedthe nationalbird to be the turkey.The high-flyingbald eagleseemsmuch moreappropriatefor a nation so proud of its power and independence.
holidaq? American Z ror.*roonWhqis theFourthoflulaan importnnt onlulY4, 1776? Gompne[endon Whathappened Flag Day FlagDay,lune 14,is the birthdayof the Americanflag.lt is a minor holidayhonoring a maiorAmericansymbol.On this date in 1777,theContinentalCongressadopteda resolutionstating that the flag of the new nation should have l3 horizontal stripes (7 red ones and 6 white ones)to symbolizethe l3 coloniesand l3 white starson a blue backgroundto symbolizethe unity and equalityof these colonies.Accordingto George Washington,the red stripessymbolizedGreat Britain and the alternatingwhite stripes representedthe separationbetween Great Britain and its former colonies.White was also the symbol of liberrY. Who made the first Americanflag?A young widow, who was a Philadelphiaseam16 stressand flag-makel probably did. Almost 100years latel Betsy Ross'sgrandsonwent public with this family story:Earlyin 1777, GeorgeWashingtonand two o,n"t t"n cai-4e io the philadelphiahome of Betsy Rosswith a designand askedher to make a flag for the new country.She followed their plan except for making the stars five-pointedinstead of six-pointed. When Betsy Ross'sstory became known throughout the country, more than 2 million people contributed to a fund for the preservationof her home. Today,it remainsa populartourist attraction. 'ts
BetsyRossmakingthe first Americanflag UNIT7 . AmericanHolidays:Historyand Custorns
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TheAmericanflaghasbeen redesignedmanytimes.Today,it still containsl3 stripes in honor of the original colonies.But now there are 50 stars (one for each state; arrangedin 9 rows,alternating6 starsin one row and 5 in the next Becauseof its design,the Americanflag has been nicknamedthe Starsand Stnpes. lt is sometimesalso calledOIdClon1. 1B In school,childrenmemorizeand often recite the followingPledgeof Allegianceto the flag:"l pledgeallegianceto the flag of the UnitedStatesof Americaand to the Republicfor whichit stands,one Nation underGod, i,rdivisible, with liberfyand iusticefor all." Americansrecitethis pledgewhile standingand holding the right hand over the heartto show devotion to the flag and the nation it represents. 19 In 1814,the Americanflag inspireda lawyerand amateurpoet named FrancisScott Keyto write "TheStarSpangledBanner,"the poem that was laterset to musicand became the nationalanthem. During the War of l8l2 betweenGreat Britain and the UnitedStates,Keywas on a ship in BaltimoreHarborwatchingthe BritishattackFort McHenry.As long as Keysawthe Americanflag flying over the fort, he knew his counrry lrad not lost the battle. He wrote, "the bombs bursting in air / gaveproof through the night / that our flag was still there."(Thebombs lit up the sky and allowedhim to see the flag.)Whenthis terriblenight endedand dawn finallycame,to his greatjoy,Keysaw that the Starsand Stripesstill flew "o'er the land of the freeand the home of the brave." Keysethispoemtomusic,usingthemelodyof anoldBritishsong.Morethan l00years later,in l93l , Congressdeclared"TheStar SpangledBanner"the nationalanthem. 20 The American flag is a symbol of the country-its government,its people,and its ideals.As such, most people agreethat it should be handled with respect.Thereare many rules and customs about proper handling of the flag. It is usuallydisplayedonly betweensunriseand sunset.If displayedafter dark, it must be lit up. lt can be flown at half-mastto honor someonewho has iust died. It should nevertouch the ground nor be steppedon. Occasionally,people who are angryabout some governmentaction or critical of Americanlife in generalshowdisrespectto the flag by burning it in public or stepping on it. There have been many efforts to pass laws or amend the Constitution to make it illegal to desecrate the flag. However,objectors to such laws say that handling the flag disrespectfullyis a form of free speechand should be allowed.lt is an interesting debate,which goesto the basicquestion of what Americanrightsare and what they should be. On patriotic holidays,the Americanflag flies in front of many homesand reminds manyAmericansof their valuableConstitutionalrights and freedoms. 17
Arrrn You Reno l. Getting the Message A. Discussthesequestionswitha partner.Thenwriteyour answerson a separatepieceof paper. l. TWo of the four holidays describedin the reading are birthday celebrations. Which are they,and what do they cnlebrate? (continuzd on the next page)
CHAPTER 24. Four PatrioticHolidays
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2. Of the four holidays dis-cussedin the reading, which trrr'oseem most similar to .you?Why? 3. ParaSraph 10 quotes apart of the Declaration of Independence. Accnrding to this section, what is the purpose of government? Where does the government get its power? 4. Reread the Pledge of Allegiance, quoted in paragraph 18. When Americans recite this pledgg what are they promisin$ to do? B. Rereadparagraphs 15-19. Thenmark each statementtrue (T) or false (F). 1. The American flag has more s'hite stripes than red stripes. 2. Today's American flag looks exactly like the one that Betsy Ross made. 3. Today's American flag has 50 five-pointed stars4. Francis Scott Key wrote the words and music to the national anthem.
ll. BuildingYour Vocabulary wordsfor this chapter.Theyare boldfacedin the A. Theseare the15 keyvocabulary thesewordsafteryour teacher,anddiscusstheirmeanings. reading.Pronounce allegiiance anthem armistice desecrate document*
fireworkst grave* horizontal loyal original
patriotism tecite striPe tribute vetefan
words.Makethe nounsplural thesesentenceswith someof the keyvocabulary B. Complete put and form. tense into the correct verb each and if necessary, 1. When you are standing up, your body is vertical. When you are lying down, you are in a(n)
2. A countgi's national
position. usually expresseslove of one's cnuntry.
3. In a cnmetery,the bodies of the dead are buried in 4. The Declaration of Independenceis a very important
ln
Americanhistory. S. Peoplewho once servedin the militarybut are no longer in active serviceare called "Documcnt can be a noun or a verbtFireworks is always plural. It can be a floun or an adjective. *Grave is used as a noun in this readin$-
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andCustoms History Holidays: UNIT7 . American
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the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag, they
6. When Americans
say it aloud with the right hand over the heart. are atraditional part ofan Independence
7. Noisy and colorfr.rl
Day celebration. They brighten the night sky. 8. Today's American flag has 13 alternatin$ red and white
quotedin paragraph of lndependence from the Declaration Ihis exerciseusesyocabrilary 10. Matcheachwordin column1 with its definitionin column2 by writingthe correct on the lines. numbers 1. self-evident
-
rightful
2. secure
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obvious; easy to see
3. endowed
given
4. instituted
getttn$
5. deriving
protect and keep
6. jusr
created; established
lll. SharpeningReadingSkills A. Fun with Puns Puns refer to using two different meanin$sof a word at the sametime. Somepuns aremadewith wo words pronounced and spelledthe same way. Other puns use words pronounced the same(or almost the same)but spelled differentlv. quotein paragraph9. RereadBenFranklin's Which word is used in two waYs? B. Double and Single Quotation Marks When authorswant to repeat someoneelse'sexact spoken or written words, they can do so in two different ways. In the reading paragiraph1 usesdouble quotation marks, which look like fhis: '1......" (TheV are always used in pairs.) However, paragraph 10, which contains a longer quotation, usesa different methocl.The quoted material is centeredand sin$e spaced. 1. Scanthisreading,findtwo more examplesof quotations,andwritetheparagraph numbers. paragraph -
paragraph -
insidea quotation. a quotafron 1. tt contains in paragraph 2. Lookcarefuwat thequotation wordsthatare qwtation it. Write the marks around quote hassingle Thequotewithina marks' insidethe singlequotafion
24 . Four PatrioticHolidays CHAPTER
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c. Quoting Poetry within a Paragraph when authors \/eril rr-)euote a :rr,,,,' Iines of poetry within aparaSibph, they use a dia6fonalline { / ) to shos' r'i&ere {r;,ii.ir line of poetrSrends. Scan the readingto find two examplesof poetry quoted in this ntartncr.ii*,r.;,rir,: iiitj jrij.i.:ii;,,flg of "ln FlandersFields'{paragraph8J as the poet wrote it.
lV. Understandingldioms and Expressions Oneachblankline,writethe letterof thecorrectwordor phraseto cornp/ete rji; serutr,riilr-. givetheparagraphs Thenumbers in parentheses in whichthe*ui;,-i:i.:.riiii:, :/. iisi,:il 1. In this paraSraph, the meaning of after all (2) is a. later b. consideringi the following information c. in addition
2. On theothersifu of thecoin (2) means a. in addition b. in contrast c. as a result 3. Tosurn,ry (1O)means_ a. to summarize b. to describe c. toexplainindetail 4. When something standsout (12), it is _. a. more noticeable than what is nearby b. vertical c" standir4gupright 5. When yo'uputgourJohnHaruock(f2) on something.volr nre a. e4)ressing your patriotic feelings b. signing your narne c. putting on a coat 6. 'fue a. b. c
ndangeredspecieslist(f+) nsts plants and animais ihat are no longer living on Earth at risk of becoming extinct dangerous
7. The phrase tourist attraxtipn GA) refers to a place that a. native residents of a community visitregulariy b. visitors to an area usually want to see c" is a popular place to bring children
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8. When the flag is flown ar half most (20), it is a. announcinga happyoccasion b. halfivay up the flagipole c. flyrng for only half the day 9. Freespeech(20) refers to _. a. speechthat peoplecan hear without paying for it b. the right to expressan opinion publicly, whether it's popular or not c. the rig;ht to say anyrhing you want about anyone
V. TakingWords Apart Use an AmericanEnglishdictionaryto find the followinginformation. 1. All these words contain the word partmem-: memorial, flrcmoru,remzmba-, mmxorize, and,commernorate.What do you thiril< mzm- means? Write your answer.
2. [c,ok up the wordgrave in a dictionary. Write down its most cornmon meaning for eachword fonn. Noun: Adjective: 3. Find two meaningisof the wordveteran, and.write the definitions here.
Vl. PracticingSentencePatterns It would be very dull if every sentencein a piece of writing.began with the subjecr One way to get more variety of sentencestructure is to begin with an adverb.Here are two examplesfrom tle reading. The nunrbers in parentheses$ve the paragraphs in which tle sentencesappear. Unofficially. the holiday has been extended beyond its military connection. . . . (4) Originally, the holiday was called Armistice Day. (6) 1. IVrite a sentenceabout the nurnber of stars on the first American flag. Originally, 2. Write a sentericeabout the nunrber of statesin the U.S. d&t after the Revolutionary War. Originally,
CHAPTER 24 . FourPatrioticHolidarrs
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Vll. Sharing ldeas A. lssues Debatefheserbsuesin smallgroups.Thenchooseoneandwriteaboutit. 1. When we celebrateholidayshonoring military victories and military heroes,are we teachingchildren that it's braveand noble to kill? 2. The U.S.has severalterritories,which are areasthat bclong to the U.S.but are not one of its 50 states.should a territory and its residentsbe governedby peopleu'ho live somewhereelse?Can people and the land they live on |nelong" to residentsof another area? 3. What kind of behaviorshouldbe considereddesecrationof the flagpIs it desecrationto wear the stars and stripes on one's jacket?on one'sundem.'eai? ShouldAmericansbe allowedto use paperplateswith the starsand stripeson them?Where should one draw the line betweendecorationand desecration? 4. I"ove of country is commonly considereda virtue. Yet it sometimesleads to hatred of outsidersand to bloodshed.Would peoplebe better ofr'if nat'onalism were replacedby g;lobalfeelingsof love for all humanigr? B. On a Personal Note Writeaboutoneof thesefopics. l. Comparethe extent of free speechin the U.S. and another county you've lived in or know about. Comparewhat can and cannot be said publicly in each country.
t
2. Dtaw and describea flaSyou think would be appropriate and attractive for the city, statq or countr5ryou livb in. 3. Somepeople consider fireworks beautifrrl and exciting. Others say they are too noisy and dangerous.Do you enjoy fireworks demonstrations?Do you think they're a goodway to enlebratea patriotic occasion?Why or why not? Througfirouthistory, millions of peoplehave died trying to keep a particular piece of land part of their country. Would you $ve your life for thatpurpose? Why orwhy not?
UNIT7 . American Holidays:Historyand Customs
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A Snapshot of More American Holidays From February through mid-Jung Americans cnLebrateseveral holidays that are bright threads in the rabric of the nation's culture. Some are for religious expression. Some are for the expression of devotion to loved ones. Still others are primarily for fun.
ReligiousHolidays Easter. On Easter,American Christians,togetherwith Christiansaround the world, celebratethe Resurrection(the coming to life again) of JesusChris! the founder of Christianity and, accordingito Christian beliefs,the Son of God. Easteris alwayson a Sunday,but the date varies from year to year. Symbolsof rebirth, new life, and fertility are common Easter decorations.These include the Easter bunny and colored,elaboIt's also traditional to wear new springi clothes on Easter,and rately decoratedegigis. many communities have an Easter parade.Easter has alsobecomea very popular time for vacations, since many schoolsclosefor severaldaysor more. Passover. AmericanJews joinJews ever5rwherein celebratingthis important holiday. It celebratesfreedom and is basedupon a story from the Old Testamentof the Bible.In the story,Jews who were once slavesin EgJrptwere led to freedom by a greatJewish hero, Moses.MostJews cnlebratePassoverfor eight days,but for ReformJews and IsraeliJews it's a seven-dayholiday. The date of Passoveris determinedby theJewish calendar,but it alwaysbeginsbetween March?T and.Apr-1.24,and is often the sameweek which the story of the asEaster.The holidaybegins with a specialfeastcalleda sed.er,at escapefrom Effit is retold. During the holiday, observantJews eat no bread or other products made with yeast.Instead, they eat flatbread called matzos. Saint Patrick's Day. On March 17, Americans of Irish descent-who number about 37 million!-honor *reir patron saint who brougftt Cbristianity to a pagannation. The holiday is celebratedby church services,parades,banquets, and "the wearing of the green,"a color in the flag of Ireland, a countqr commonly called TheEmerald Islz.
Holidays to ExpressLove Vafentine's Day. On Fbbruary 14,Americans sendor give greetingcardscalledvalentitus.The holiday is primarily about romantic lovg but many people also send valentines to their children and palents. In elementaryschool,children commonly exchange valentines with friends and teachers.Most valentines are decoratedwith a red heart. Many also show a picture of Cupid (the young son of the Roman goddess,Venus)with his bow and arrow. According to the m1rlh,if Cupid's arrow hits a person in the heart, that person falls in love. This holiday originated in Europe in the 1400s,but today it is more popular in the United Statesthan anywhere else.Traditional Valentine'sDay giffs are flowers or a heart-shapedbox of chocolatecandy.
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Mother's Day. The purposeof this holiday is to honor one's mother and $iveher a day of rest. It is celebratedon the second Sunday in May. On this day, mothers and grandmothers receive greeting!cards, gifts, and flowers. Also, moms may be served breakfast in bed and taken out for dinner to give them a day offfrom cooking. Father3 Day. Father'sDay customsare similar to those of Mother's Day. Dad gets cards,gifts, and a day of rest. This holiday is celebratedon the third SundayinJune.
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HolidaysJustfor Fun Groundhog Day. According to legend, February 2 is the date that the groundhog (a small,furryanimal) wakesup fromhibernation (alongwinter's sleep).Peoplewholive in colder parts of the United StateseaSerlyawait this moment because,tradition says, the groundhoggisa weather forecaster.If he sticks his head out of his hole on a sunny day and seeshis shadow,he'llbe frightenedand runback in to hibernatealittle lon$er. That means six more weeks of winter weather. On the other hand, if he emergeson a cloudy day and staysout' there will be an early sprin$' April Fools' Day. When the French first adopted the Gregorian calendar in 1564, some people still used the old calendar and celebratedNew Year's Day on April 1. These people were called Aprilfook. Today on April 1, Americans celebratethis holidayby playlng innocent tricks on family members,friends, coworkets, and classmates. fnis nona"y is especiallypopular with kids, and the tricks and jokes are donein a funloving spfuit.
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A APPENDIX
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_f i Units of Measurement: {.f.S. and Metric U.S.to MetricConversion
U.S.Units
Metricto U.S.Gonversion
Lengrth and Distanc€ 12in.:1ft. 3 ft. : 1yd. 5,280ft.:lmi.
1in.: 1ft.: 1 vd.
2.54 cm. .3048m. .9144m.
1 cm. : .39 in. 1 m. : 39.37in.
1mi. :
1.609km.
1 km. :
.62 mi.
Area
1 sq. mi. :
,
1 sq.km. :
2.59 sq. km.
.38t14sq. mi.
Weight 1oz. : 28.35gm. .4536km. 1lb. : 1 ton : .9OZmetric tons
16 oz. : llb. 1 ton = 2,0001bs.
1gm. : 1km. : 1 metric ton :
.035oz. 2.2lbs. 1.057 tons
Volume
foot {allon inch mile oun@
U.S.abbreviations : fL pint : gal. pound *. : in. Quart : mi. square mile : oz. yard
1 rnl. : .034fl. oz. 1 l. : 33.814fr..oz. 11. : 7.0567qt.
tfl. oz. : 29.573ml 1 qt. : .9461. 19a1.: 3.7851.
1 pt. : 16 fl. oz. 1 qt. : 32 fl. oz. L gal. : 4qt.
ftle,lricabbreviations : : : : :
pt. lb. Qt. sq. mi. yd.
centimeter : fluid ot'nce : gram : kilogran : kilometer:
cm. fr.-oz. gm. kg. km.
liter : l. meter : mmillilitel
:
1111.
square kilometer : sq. km.
The United States, ff.S. Territories,
and Outlying Areas Theilortheast
TheMidwest
New England
Middle Atlantic
Connecticut (CT) Maine (ME) Massachusetts (MAJ Neu'Hampshire (NHJ Rhode Island (RI) Vernront (VT)
NewJersey (l{J) New York (NY) PennsylvaniaPA)
Illinois (IL) Indiana (IN) Iowa (IA) Kansas(KS) Michigan (MI) Minnesota (MN)
Missouri (MO) Nebraska (NE) North Dakota (ND) ohio (oH) South Dakota (SD) Wisconsin (WI)
TheSouth Alaba'na (AL) Arkansas (AR) Delaware (DE) District of Columbia (DC) Florida (FL) Georgia(GA)
Kentucky (KY) Louisiana (!A) Maryland {MD) Mississippi (MS) North Carolina (NC) Oklahoma (OK)
South Carolina (SC) Tennessee(TN) Texas (TX) Vir$nia (VA) West Virgnia (WV)
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TheWest Mountain
pacific
Arizona(AZ) Colorado (CO) Idaho (Io) Montana (MT) Nevada (NV) NewMexico (NM) Utah (UT) Wyoming (WY)
Alaska (AK) California (CA) Hawaii (HI) Oregon (OR) Washington (WA)
American Samoa Baker,Howland, andJarvis Islands Guam Johnston Atoll
Kingman Reef Midway Islands NavassaIslands Northern Mariana Islands
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Palmyra Atoll Puerto Rico U.S. Virgin Islands WakeIsland
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The United States: Map urith Time Zones
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Alaska Standard Time
Pacific Standard Time
Mountain Standard Time
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Central Standard Time
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\ HawaiiAleutian Standard Time
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The Thirteen Original Colonies Connecticut Delaware Geor$a Maryland Massachusetts New Hampshire NewJersey
New York North Carolina Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina Virginia
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{,f.S. Free and Slave States and Territories, 1860 TheUnion(t'lorth) Caiifornia Connecticut Delaware Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansasl Kentucky
Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Missouri New Hampshire NewJersey
New York Ohio Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island Vermont West Virginiaz Wisconsin
The territories also fought on the side of the Union.
I
Alabama Arkansas Florida Georgia
Louisiana Mississippi North Carolina South Carolina
Tennessee Texas Virginia
Although there were fifteen slave states, four of them-Delaware, Kentucky, Maryland, and Missouri-remained in the Union.
! Fr€€stdes 13 Slav€stales E Tenitori€sop€n to slav€ry -CrnHerale States of America
tKansasbecame tle thirty-fourth state in 1861. 2q/est Virginia broke off from Virginia and joined the Union in 1863 as the thirty-fifth state.
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